Stop Stealing Our Children

Legally Kidnapped: The nanny state cannot fix problem parents

2011-08-04T21:35:00.000-04:00

Legally Kidnapped: The nanny state cannot fix problem parents

I need a vacation

2011-07-30T00:26:00.001-04:00

There is no rest in obtaing Justice. But I will never be too tired to stop. Hang in there Bella, we all love and miss you so much. We will be a family again real soon. BET on it :)

2011-07-30T00:09:00.001-04:00

Good day all

2011-02-10T20:59:00.001-05:00

Music background image by findstuff22 on Photobucket http://ping.fm/cudMg

Shia LaBeouf Handcuffed

2011-02-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

Shia LaBeouf Handcuffed After A

‘Fan’ Hurls A Homophobic Slur At Him

http://www.tv.com/shia-labeouf-handcuffed-after-a-fan-hurls-a-homophobic-slur-at-him/webnews/283152.html?tag=around_the_web;0

Trent PinkisthenewBlog.com 02/06/11 10:14 AM

Late yesterday word got out that Shia LaBeouf was taken into police custody after he allegedly got into a barroom brawl late Friday night. Today we learn what went down with Shia late Friday night/early Saturday morning from the grade-A a-hole who was involved in the fracas. This p.o.s. person very proudly tells RadarOnline that Shia was taken into custody after he harassed and verbally assaulted LaBeof with a homophobic slur.

Powered by ScribeFire.

2011-02-05T23:48:00.001-05:00
Chronicles the Bush Administration's determined quest to invade Iraq following 9/11

2011-02-05T15:20:00.001-05:00
Opinion: Let's end the secrecy in juvenile court
http://ping.fm/hZqNa

2011-02-05T14:41:00.003-05:00
Ping.fm / Integration http://ping.fm/integration/

2011-02-05T14:41:00.001-05:00
Ping.fm / Integration http://ping.fm/integration/

Inspiring Thought

2011-01-29T05:20:00.000-05:00
10 Inspiring Thoughts for Tough Times- Beliefnet.com

Having Less Doesn’t Mean You Are Less

Don’t confuse having less with being less,
having more with being more,
or what you have with who you are.

Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/2009/03/10-Inspiring-Thoughts-for-Tough-Times.aspx?p=3#ixzz1CPzhA7TD

Erikah Badu, watch and listen, enjoy

2011-01-28T05:25:00.000-05:00

2011-01-12T00:20:00.001-05:00
My things, my grand-mother’s things http://ping.fm/FFZEb

best quote today

2010-11-04T23:14:00.001-04:00
If you want to go where you've never been, you need to do something you've never done!

The Other Side of the Coin

2010-11-04T23:00:00.001-04:00

I am thankful....
For the taxes that I pay,
Because it means that I am employed.
For the mess to clean after a party,
Because it means that I have been surrounded by friends.
For a lawn that needs mowing,
Windows that need cleaning,
And gutters that need fixing,
Because it means that I have a home.
For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot,
Because it means I am capable of walking
And that I have been blessed with transportation.
Or my huge heating bill
Because it means I am warm.
For the lady behind me in church that sings off key,
Because it means that I can hear.
For the pile of laundry and ironing,
Because it means I have clothes to wear.
For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day,
Because it means I have been capable of working hard.
For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours,
Because it means that I am alive.
And finally.......
For all the e-mails I receive each day,
Because it means I have friends who think of me
In places far away and near.

'Sons of Anarchy' rides into a fourth season | TV Week Magazine

2010-10-08T13:12:00.000-04:00
'Sons of Anarchy' rides into a fourth season | TV Week Magazine

WomensLaw.org Reports: Making Changes to a Custody Order

2010-09-27T22:06:00.000-04:00
WomensLaw.org Reports: Making Changes to a Custody Order

Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me

2010-09-15T19:56:00.000-04:00

quote 4 today

2010-07-24T17:32:00.000-04:00
Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.

—Robertson Davies.

The Power Of One

2010-05-30T11:22:00.000-04:00

Do Family Courts Judges actually dispense justice or dispense with it? Hmmm, you be the judge!

2010-03-31T18:35:00.001-04:00

Hey readers, I have found some great new blogs. This article is from one of them.

Please go check out his blog @ http://noethics.net

The innumerable, and in many instances, heartbreaking horror stories I've unfortunately received over the years from every corner of the country clearly indicates that the two most abusive court divisions in the good old U.S. of A are Family and Probate Courts (dedicated to stealing from the dead). At the end of this article are the names of a few of the Judicial Misfits that have cheerfully caused great harm to one or more parents, grandparents and most importantly the children they were sworn to protect. Obviously, there’s many, many more.

finish reading at http://noethics.net

To clear up some misconceptions about Class Action Lawsuits

2010-03-28T19:10:00.001-04:00

Generated from local file. Cache size:400 (not visible in beta/prod)

Class Action Lawsuits

Class Action - in law, a device that permits one or more persons to sue or be sued as representative of a large group of people interested in the matter at issue. The court in whose jurisdiction a suit is brought typically has wide discretion in determining that a class will be so represented. Certain requirements must be met, e.g., the class must be so large or dispersed that actual joinder of   Read More...

Class Action - in law, a device that permits one or more persons to sue or be sued as representative of a large group of people interested in the matter at issue. The court in whose jurisdiction a suit is brought typically has wide discretion in determining that a class will be so represented. Certain requirements must be met, e.g., the class must be so large or dispersed that actual joinder of all individuals would be impractical; there must be questions of law and fact common to all members, and these must outweigh any individual questions; and the named parties must adequately represent the interests of their class. Certain forms of notice to members of the class, e.g., by newspaper or broadcast publication or by mail, are also required. In most types of suit, all members of the class are bound by the decision, unless a member of the class opted out of the action at the beginning of the lawsuit. An absentee member may be able to contest the outcome on the basis that due process of law was not adhered to.

In the United States, federal and most state courts allow class action suits. Such suits have figured prominently in civil-rights litigation and in other cases brought to further social and economic reform. In recent decades they have been employed notably by groups of consumers and others seeking to affix liability for harm caused by various products, especially through manufacturers' negligence. Major litigation against the producers of the Dalkon shield (an intrauterine device; see birth control), of Agent Orange (a herbicide used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War), and of asbestos insulation has involved class action suits. In the 1980s and 90s such suits have been under attack, along with negligence litigation in general. Among the types of class action the more conservative, business-oriented Congress elected in 1994 has tried to curb are those brought by shareholders against corporate leaders felt to have fraudulently misrepresented the condition of their companies in order to attract buyers of stock.

See study by S. Yeazell (1987).

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright© 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V. All rights reserved.
http://www.questia.com/library/class_action_lawsuits.jsp

Lawmakers should look into state's collusion in organizing babysitters

2010-03-22T15:28:00.000-04:00

Lawmakers should get to bottom of the murky dealings under which a state-sponsored council helped unionize home-based child care providers throughout Michigan and continues to operate despite the Legislature's attempt to abolish it by stripping its funding.

Taxpayers deserve better answers than the vague ones that have been offered so far by the administration of Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

The Legislature last year ended payments to the Michigan Home Based Child Care Council, a liaison between the state's Department of Human Services and a controversial labor union that, under questionable circumstances, came to represent people who receive government subsidies for providing day care in their homes for children of low-income working parents.

Lawmakers recently learned that Human Services officials have defied them by shifting money within the department to keep the council's $200,000 contract intact.

A Human Services spokesman said this was done because the department has a contractual obligation to fund the council through the end of this year. The spokesman also claimed that the Legislature's action, taken as part of its approval of the department's budget for 2010, did not include a specific prohibition against further payments to the council from other funds.

That tortured explanation shouldn't fly. Nor should the bigger question of how 40,000 home-based day care providers came to be represented by a new union, affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and United Auto Workers (UAW), when many of those providers weren't aware the union was being formed and weren't given a chance to vote on it. Not to mention that they are private business people, and not employees of the state.

Many of the providers object to having a union forced on them and having mandatory dues deducted from payments they receive through the Department of Human Services. Lawsuits challenging the setup have been filed in state and federal courts.

The process that led to union involvement in child care in Michigan is as suspicious as it is bureaucratically dense.

The Michigan Home Based Child Care Council was created in September 2006 through an agreement between the Human Services department and Mott Community College in Flint, which has training programs for child care providers. The council's job was to develop child care policies, but it also -- somehow -- became the intermediary between the department and a new AFSCME- and UAW-affiliated union called Child Care Providers Together Michigan.

In December 2006, AFSCME announced that the state had certified that a majority of home-based child care providers had chosen union affiliation. AFSCME said its drive to unionize child care providers encompassed eight other states, including neighboring Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free-market think tank involved in one of the lawsuits, reports that the Michigan union was certified after somewhat more than 5,000 day care providers voted in favor of it. That doesn't seem to meet the standard for approval of a 40,000-member union. And forcing union dues on care providers never given a chance to vote and who consider themselves self-employed is patently unfair.

Lawmakers are right to call a halt to funding. Human Services officials have a lot more explaining to do.

Technorati Tags: Human Services,Michigan,family,corruption,child care,day care

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100322/OPINION01/3220302/1008/Forced-unionization--Lawmakers-should-look-into-state-s-collusion-in-organizing-babysitters#ixzz0iw2HnQOs

more lies and failures of social workers

2010-02-10T01:34:00.001-05:00

Posted on Thu, Feb. 4, 2010

Kelly defense: Victimized by their own staff

By Nathan Gorenstein

Inquirer Staff Writer

Two top managers at the social-service agency that was caring for 14-year-old Danieal Kelly before her death were victimized by their own staff, who lied about how often they made required home visits, defense attorneys said yesterday.

In opening statements at the federal trial of the two managers and two staff caseworkers, defense attorneys also attempted to diffuse what lawyer William Brennan called "the elephant in the room" - Kelly's death by starvation in 2006 while the agency, MultiEthnic Behavioral Health Inc., was responsible for her well-being.

"This is a fraud case. This is not a murder case," said Brennan, who represents a worker charged with participating in the fraud.

The now-defunct agency was supposed to provide care for Kelly, who had cerebral palsy, and other at-risk children using federal funding funneled through the city's Department of Human Services.

But prosecutors charge that the defendants instead billed the city for services MultiEthnic never provided - including home visits that never happened.

William Cannon, the attorney for Mickal Kamuvaka, 60, who ran MultiEthnic when the city contracted it to monitor 500 homes, conceded that the agency was not always well-managed, but said Kamuvaka had been at the mercy of her employees. "She had to rely on their integrity," he said.

The defense attorneys said federal prosecutors had to prove the four intended to lie and defraud the government.

"Did he intend to lie? If he didn't intend to lie, he's innocent," said William R. Spade Jr., the attorney for MultiEthnic social worker Julius Juma Murray, 52, who was handling Kelly's case when she died.

Cannon said Kelly's mother had kept her covered with blankets up to her chin when workers from MultiEthnic visited. While she was underweight, Kelly also "was beset with medical problems," he said, and there was "no medical record to show she ever weighed more than" the 42 pounds recorded at her death.

Kelly and her family were considered at-risk, and DHS ordered twice-weekly home visits to ensure she was safe and getting services she needed. When she died, her body was covered with bedsores, some of which were maggot-infested and bone-deep.

From July 2000 through December 2006, the city paid MultiEthnic about $3.7 million for services.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vineet Gauri told the jury that the defendants had been "social workers" employed to provide assistance for the city's least fortunate, but that "they chose not to be that safety net."

Gauri said Kamuvaka had "spearheaded the fraud," assisted by a second agency manager, Solomon Manamela, who on one occasion reported he was doing agency work when, in fact, he was out of the country.

Clients were supposed to sign a form every time a social worker visited, but Gauri said Murray and fellow caseworker Mariam Coulibaly had clients sign a "stack" of forms in advance.

Each of the defense lawyers made a point of introducing his client and offering details of the defendant's life: Kamuvaka was born in the Central African Republic, earned a degree in social work and psychology in 1976, received a doctorate in social work from Cornell University, and was one of the founders of MultiEthnic.

Manamela, 52, is from South Africa and, during apartheid, fled to Tanzania. "He has spent his life helping troubled children," said his attorney, Paul J. Hetznecker.

At MultiEthnic, Manamela "put his trust in the . . . workers" he supervised, and "they violated Mr. Manamela's trust in them," said the lawyer.

But, like Cannon, Hetznecker conceded that "there was a lot of mismanagement there."

Spade said Murray was born in Sierra Leone, received an undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of Maryland, and chose to do social work.

"The mother of the girl was hiding what was going on," Spade said, referring to Kelly's mother, Andrea, who pleaded guilty last year in the Court of Common Pleas to third-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 to 40 years.

Coulibaly, 40, was born in Mali and holds a nursing degree. Five other MultiEthnic employees also charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office have pleaded guilty.

Contact staff writer Nathan Gorenstein at 215-854-2797 or ngorenstein@phillynews.com.

TBI, state auditors investigating County Clerk employee for embezzlement

2009-12-08T06:29:00.001-05:00

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, the district attorney’s office and the state Comptroller’s office are investigating the disappearance of thousands of dollars from the Dickson County Clerk’s office.
County Clerk Phil Simons told the county commission at a called budget committee meeting last night that between $14,000-$15,000 had been taken from the Dickson satellite office through an elaborate scheme in which the books appeared to balance at the end of each day.
The situation came to light in mid-September when the deputy clerk who allegedly took the money was off work and another deputy worked at that desk where paperwork was found, leading to the discovery of the alleged theft, Simons said.
He said the employee allegedly manipulated reports through failure to record or voiding cash transactions, then using other peoples’ checks to pay the fees that had been paid in cash.
Simons said as soon as he discovered the alleged theft he went to county attorneys and they notified the district attorney's office.
The DA contacted the TBI and an auditor from the state Comptroller's Office.
He said the stolen cash came from automobile registration renewals, business licenses, registrations and other fees that the employee allegedly pocketed.
The investigation is still ongoing and Simons did not identify the employee. However, he said the employee was terminated by mail on the grounds of employee misconduct after walking out of the office following an interview by the TBI and the Comptroller’s Office of Audit.
“There was no admission of guilt and no confession,” Simons said.
When asked why the employee was fired without admitting to the theft and the investigation is incomplete, he said that’s why she was fired for employee misconduct.
“It’s very broad,” he said.
Simons said the county would have to cover the missing money until the case is prosecuted but that either the county's insurance or a blanket bond, which covers all employees who handle money, will reimburse the county.
Simons said there are normally 10 employees working the Dickson office and he doesn’t plan to fill the position vacated by the former employee.
“I have some other ideas in mind,” he said. “But we have nine other people that we don’t have a problem with. I trust everybody until it’s proven otherwise.”

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091202/DICKSON01/91202049/TBI-state-auditors-investigating-County-Clerk-employee-for-embezzlement

WAY TO GO K.T. Now Just Keep Working That :)

Sheriff Taylor's sticking to his Taser - policy

2009-12-04T08:01:00.001-05:00

Department policy says 'use of the Taser on young children is discouraged,

except in extreme situations.'
By NICK BONHAM
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
December 04, 2009 01:24 am

Days after a deputy stunned an "out of control" 10-year-old, Sheriff Kirk Taylor said his office has no plans of altering its Taser policy in regard to the device's use on children.

"It's not black and white. Every scenario is different. The threat is different. (Using a Taser), that discretion needs to be left to the officer and then it needs to be scrutinized, and trust me, it's been scrutinized," Taylor said at a press conference Thursday.

The Pueblo County Sheriff Department's policy says "use of the Taser on elderly persons and young children is discouraged, except in the most extreme situations."

The boy was stunned and arrested Monday after Deputies Mark Myers and Randy Mondragon were sent to the boy's Pueblo West foster home.

The call was in regard to a "out of control" juvenile who was destroying property and threatening his foster father, Daniel Biby, with a pipe, a stick and throwing landscape timbers at him. The boy, who Taylor said has a violent history and record of running away, fled from officers holding a 2-foot-long pipe.

The boy ran to a neighbor's house where he cornered himself between a camper trailer and a pontoon boat that were backed against a fence.

Taylor said the area in which the child was in was no wider than 3 feet.

The boy ignored commands to drop the pipe and was stunned with a Taser by Myers. Mondragon then apprehended the child, who was later booked into Pueblo Youth Center on suspicion of menacing with a deadly weapon.

Neither the boy, deputies or Biby were injured in the incident.

Taylor maintained on Thursday that the deputy's Taser use and method of arrest was appropriate and justified.

"We get no joy in doing what had to be done. My officers feel pretty bad but they acted appropriately," Taylor said. "My reaction was no different than the public's outcry. I probably would've deployed my Taser as well. Would have I been happy about it? No. But I can tell you, after looking at the fact-scenario, they acted appropriately."

Taylor described the physique and size of the boy, who's name hasn't been released because he's a juvenile, as that of a "normal 10-year-old."

The sheriff described Myers as a "thick" man at 6 foot 2 inches tall. He also said he knew Myers to be a chaplain with the local order of the Fraternal Order of Police.

"Myers is like a gentle giant," Chief of Law Enforcement Charlene Graham said.

Taylor said this was the fourth time this year that deputies had used a Taser.

In October, the device's manufacturer, Taser International, issued a recommendation to include the chest in the non-preferred target area, which also includes the head, neck and testicle areas.

The boy was struck by two darts in the preferred target zone, one in the lower abdomen and the other in the left leg, Taylor said.

After the incident was reported in the morning edition of The Chieftain, Taylor said he received phone calls from media as far away as New York. He said he was interviewed for "Inside Edition."

Tasers are controversial in their use, but much of the national interest stems from the recent firing of an officer in Arkansas who stunned an unruly 10-year-old girl with a Taser.

The officer was not fired for stunning the girl but failing to follow department procedure for not activating a built-in camera on the Taser.

Taylor said Tasers his officers use do not have cameras and that this incident "is nothing like the one in Arkansas."

Many of the comments posted on The Chieftain's Web site were critical of the sheriff department's Taser use on the boy.

"Nobody wants to Tase a 10-year-old. My hope is that this young man gets the help he needs," Taylor said.

The 10th Judicial District's Critical Incident Team is not investigating the incident. The team consists of investigators from every law enforcement agency in the county that are charged with probing controversial incidents involving officers, such as in-custody deaths, shootings and serious accidents.

nickb@chieftain.com

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/12/04/news/local/doc4b18c14be4be0333474716.prt

2 clients claim Knoxville attorney does nothing after retainer fees

2009-11-30T14:26:00.001-05:00

Posted: Nov 16, 2009 4:57 PM EST
"He just wants me to go away. He will be pleased to return my file or deliver it to my new counsel," Brian Duncan says, referring to the letter he received.
"I have not seen Mr. Threadgill for any meetings. I have not had any personal conversations with him since leaving my retainer there," Emily Lee said.
"I've exercised my best legal effort and judgement based on 40 years of experience," attorney John Threadgill said.
By DON DARE
6 On Your Side Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- If you've ever needed a civil issue resolved legally, the best advice is to hire an attorney to win your case. But several people have called 6 On Your Side to complain about an attorney they say has done little to help win their cases.

Under an oath attorneys take in Tennessee, they adhere to standards that include completing their work in a timely manner and keeping their clients informed.

But that's not what's happening for two people who hired the same attorney, John Threadgill, in Knoxville.

In Maryville, Brian Duncan installs and services garage doors. A few years ago, he sued a former employer he says owed him a lot of money.

Brian figured his case was pretty solid. He hired Threadgill in August 2007, paid him several thousand dollars and says their spirits were high about resolving the case.

"When I showed him all the documents I had, he said this is an open and shut case. Give me a $2,500 retainer and I'll take it on contingency," Brian said.

But he also says it's been a bumpy road with his attorney.

When asked what happened, he said, "Nothing, a little over two years of not being able to get a hold of my lawyer. The only paperwork that I've had from him so far regarding my case were questions I had to answer for the opposing side that he sent to me that I answered."

In Knoxville, Emily Lee, a licensed clinical social worker, hired Threadgill in March 2008 to settle a business issue. She meet him once in March 2008 when she wrote a check for his retainer.

"I have not seen Mr. Threadgill for any meetings. I have not had any personal conversations with him since leaving my retainer there," Emily said.

Fourteen months ago, she wrote a letter to Threadgill, explaining she was disappointed in his representation. "Responsiveness is something that's required in my profession, and I would have hoped with his."

Threadgill wrote to Brian Duncan in October saying he's no longer representing him, but earned his $2,500.

John Threadgill declined the 6 On Your Side request for on camera interview, but defended himself saying, "I've been to court eight or nine times on behalf of Mr. Duncan. His case file is two inches thick."

Threadgill said Emily Lee's case is still pending.

He went on to say everything has been done that could be for Duncan and Lee.

He concluded saying, "I've exercised my best legal effort and judgement based on 40 years of experience."

The state Supreme Court's Board of Professional Responsibility slapped John Threadgill with a petition for discipline in August. It's his third discipline petition in five years.

To get consumer information about the Board of Professional Responsibility, click here.

"He just wants me to go away. He will be pleased to return my file or deliver it to my new counsel," Brian says, referring to the letter he received.

Threadgill says he has responded to the discipline petition, but declined to give details.

If you have a consumer issue, call the 6 On Your Side hotline at 865-633-5974.

Was this your custody evaluator? Stephen Doyne, Phd

2009-11-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

Facebook | Lisa R Smith

Concerned Citizens:

We are looking into professional misconduct of . This will be a collective complaint to protect the public.

Superior Court of California

County of San Diego

330 West Broadway

San Diego, CA 92101

Case: 37-2008-00093885-CU-BT-CTL

Emad G. Tadros, M.D., Plaintiff vs. Stephen E. Doyne, Defendant

Complaint:

1. Violation of BPC 17200 et seq.

2. Breach of Contract

3. Negligence; and,

4. Fraud.

Exhibits:

1. In correspondence, Doyne claims to be a “Diplomate American College of Forensic Psychologists.” There is no organization called the American College of Forensic Psychologists.

2. The American College of Forensic Psychology in a letter dated September 18, 2007 the American College of Forensic Psychology writes back to Plaintiff stating, “…Doyne is not, and has not never been, a member of the American College of Forensic Psychology. We do not have Diplomates and he lists the group as American College of Forensic Psychologists, which is not our group.”

3. The American College of Forensic Examiners is a sham organization owned by a con artist named Robert O’Block that provides fake diplomas for a price, he operates a “certification mill.” A pet cat has been issued the same credentials as Doyne; he has the certification that Zoe the cat has. Robert O’Block has also certified a murderer while he was incarcerated in prison; it was mailed it to him while he was in prison (see forensic evidence review by Professor of Law Carol Henderson pp 7 & 8; also Google “the credentialing con” & “the print by mark hansen expertise to go”).

**As implied, Doyne does not possess certification by the one and only well respected forensic Board named the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). The ABPP is the one and only to be recognized by all state licensing boards and the American Psychological Association (APA), and specifically in Forensic and/or Family Psychology specialty.

4. San Diego Family Court did not have record of Doyne’s curriculum vitae (CV). The court ordered Doyne to release his CV upon Plaintiff’s request. Doyne’s CV lists false and misleading credentials such as:

a. In page 1 under honors and awards, Doyne’s CV states he is a Diplomate in Psychology, American College of Forensic Examiners, which is a sham organization selling fake diplomas (2750 East Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804).

b. CV states Doyne is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Examiners (child custody evaluators), a sham organization run by the same con artist (2750 East Sunshine, Springfield, MO 65804).

5. Page five, under Teaching Experience, Doyne’s CV states he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Diego School of Law. In a letter of response to Dr. Tadros dated August 7, 2007 from the Office of the Vice President and Provost, the Assistant VP for Academic Administration of the School of Law at USD states, “I have searched our paper and digital records back to the mid-1970’s and do not find a record of Stephen Doyne ever teaching at the University of San Diego.”

6. Page five, under Teaching Experience, Doyne’s CV states he was an Instructor at the University of California at San Diego. In a letter of response to Dr. Tadros dated November 6, 2007 UCSD states that, “after extensive research of our payroll documentation, it has come to our attention that Stephen Doyen has not been directly employed by the University of California, San Diego.”

7. Page five, under Teaching Experience, Doyne’s CV states he was an Instructor at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP). In a letter of response to Dr. Tadros dated September 5, 2007 CSPP states, “that we do not have employment records.”

If you would like further information please send an email to: itsinthecredentials@gmail.com . We will send you additional information.

Parents for Accountability of Credentials of Court Appointed Experts

Parents for Accountability

Posted in California, Stephen E. Doyne. 1 Comment »

Historic Hate Crimes Legislation Signed

2009-11-11T00:40:00.001-05:00

Historic Hate Crimes Legislation Signed

President Barack Obama signed the historic Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act yesterday. The bill extends the definition of federal hate crimes to include attacks motivated by sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability and empowers federal authorities to help local law enforcement investigate hate crimes.

In his remarks yesterday, President Obama said, "In the most recent year for which we have data, the FBI reported roughly 7,600 hate crimes in this country. Over the past 10 years, there were more than 12,000 reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation alone. And we will never know how many incidents were never reported at all...no one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love. No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are or because they live with a disability."

The law is named for two men who were slain in alleged hate crimes in 1998. Matthew Shepard, a gay university student, was murdered in Wyoming, and James Byrd, Jr., an African-American man, was dragged to death by white supremacists in Texas. Previously, the federal hate crimes law only covered attacks motivated by race, color, national origin or religion.

Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard wrote, "The legislation went through so many versions and so many votes that we had to constantly keep our hopes in check to keep from getting discouraged...But with President Obama's support and the continually growing bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate lining up behind the bill this year, it became clear that 2009 was the year it would finally happen."

The Senate passed the legislation last week on a 68 to 29 vote. The bill passed in the House on October 8 with a vote of 281 to 146.

Media Resources: Feminist Daily Newswire 10/23/09; Remarks of President Barack Obama 10/28/09; Statement of Judy Shepard 10/29/09

Owner of Tennesse Salvage and Demolition Company Pleads Guilty to Environmental Crimes

2009-10-04T01:36:00.001-04:00

Company Violated Clean Air Act and Defrauded the United States Sept.29, 09

WASHINGTON—The owner of a Chattanooga, Tenn., salvage and demolition company, Watkins Street Project LLC, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Chattanooga, Tenn., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act and to defraud the United States.

Gary Fillers of Chattanooga, Tenn., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Collier for the Eastern District of Tennessee to one criminal felony count for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act’s “work practice standards” related to the proper stripping, bagging, removal and disposal of asbestos.

According to the charges, Fillers and other indicted and unindicted co-conspirators, engaged in a year-long scheme in which substantial amounts of regulated asbestos containing materials was removed from the former Standard Coosa Thatcher Plant without following the Clean Air Act and the regulations governing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notification requirements; removing all asbestos prior to demolition; and stripping, bagging, removal and disposal of such asbestos.

“Work practice standards under the Clean Air Act are designed to protect workers from the harmful effects of asbestos,” said John C. Cruden, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Conspiring to violate these work practice standards will not be tolerated and those who do can expect to be prosecuted.”

“Exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and other serious respiratory diseases,” said Maureen O'Mara, Special Agent-in-Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Atlanta. “Those who put the public health at risk will be vigorously prosecuted.”

Fillers faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss to the victims. Today’s plea is related to the indictment of Watkins Street Project LLC, Mathis Companies Inc., Donald Fillers, James Mathis and David Wood. All of these defendants pleaded not guilty to related conspiracy, Clean Air Act, false statements and obstruction of justice charges on Sept. 14, 2009. Trial is currently set to begin on Nov.18, 2009, before Judge Collier.

Asbestos has been determined to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, an invariably fatal disease. EPA has determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos.

This case was investigated by EPA special agents and investigators with Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Morris and Todd W. Gleason, of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section.

09-1058

Environment and Natural Resources Division

Dear Attorney J. Stephen Hurst

2009-09-05T19:00:00.001-04:00

Mr. Hurst, dont know you, but I think I just developed a real girly crush on ya :) Sometimes ya just gotta let your big stick swing... ahem you know?

On June 8, La Follette attorney J. Stephen Hurst received a public censure from the Board of Professional Responsibility for behavior exhibited to a Department of Children’s Services employee in court. Hurst was representing parents whose children had been removed by DCS and as he walked by a DCS employee seated on the front row of the courtroom, he stepped on the employee’s toe, pointed his finger in his face and said something to the effect of, “I’ve got your number.” When the DCS employee stood up, Hurst assaulted the man by bumping and pushing him with his stomach and spitting in his face. Bailiffs escorted Hurst out of the courtroom, and, as he was leaving, Hurst called the employee a foul name. The board determined that his actions violated Rules of Professional Conduct 4.4(a) and 8.4(d).

Letalvis Cobbins found guilty in Christian - Newsom murders

2009-08-25T12:43:00.001-04:00

Posted: Aug 25, 2009 6:50 AM EDT Updated: Aug 25, 2009 12:30 PM EDT
Letalvis Cobbins
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- The jury has found Letalvis D. Cobbins guilty of the murders of Channon Christian and her boyfriend, Christopher Newsom, in 2007.

Cobbins faces the possibility of the death penalty because he was convicted of facilitation of first degree felony murder in 35 counts.

The jury found Cobbins not guilty of five counts including the murder of Newsom during his rape, the murder of Christian during Newsom's rape and three counts of aggravated rape of Newsom.

The jury will return Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. for the sentencing hearing.

The jurors worked about 10 hours Monday and on Tuesday morning before reaching a verdict. They never asked Judge Richard Baumgartner any questions during their deliberations.

About the jury and the charges

The jury is made up of six women and six men. Six are black, five are white and one is Asian.

The jurors had 18 counts of murder alone to consider in this case. They had to reach a verdict on each count. Click here to read the verdict forms.

The jury in this case is also the sentencing jury and it has the final say on the sentence.

If jurors couldn't agree on the death penalty sentence, they could discuss lesser sentences such as life without parole.

Families grateful for verdict

After the verdict was announced, Deena Christian said, "I'm very relieved and very grateful," adding "A guilty for one was a guilty for both."

Deena said she felt Channon and Chris "both got justice today." Before the first verdict was read, she said, "I don't even know if I was breathing."

She said despite her belief that the jury would find Cobbins guilty, "You never know what's in someone else's mind and heart."

Deena said no matter what sentence the jury gives Cobbins, "It won't make a difference to me." She added that the sentencing will be difficult.

"I feel sometimes that someone somewhere is holding me up because I couldn't do it on my own," Deena said.

About the crimes

The other suspects who are charged with murder in the case are: Lemaricus Duvall Davidson (Cobbins' half brother), George Giovanni Thomas and Vanessa Coleman, who was Cobbins' girlfriend.

Those three could also face the death penalty if they're convicted. They're being tried separately.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?s=10984873

Three Dead in Dyersburg Shooting

2009-08-04T12:30:00.000-04:00

Incident Appears to be Murder-Suicide
Updated: Monday, 03 Aug 2009, 10:18 AM CDT
Published : Sunday, 02 Aug 2009, 10:09 PM CDT

FOX13 Memphis

Dyersburg, Tenn. - Three people are dead in Dyersburg after a father accused of child abuse apparently shot and killed his daughter and one of her protective custodians, then turned the gun on himself.

According to Capt. Steve Isbell with Dyersburg Police, officers were called to the 800-block of Blake Cove just after 7:30pm Sunday.

46-year old Todd Randolph, his wife 45-year old Susan Randolph and a 15-year old girl were found with gunshot wounds. Todd Randolph and the teenage girl were pronounced dead at the scene. Susan Randolph was airlifted to The Med and was released Monday morning.

Investigators determined that the teen's father, 34-year old Christopher Milburn, approached the Randolph home and opened fire. Milburn was found dead about a block away with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Dyersburg Police and the Department of Children Services had launched an investigation into allegations of abuse last week involving Christopher Milburn and his 15 year old daughter. Department of Children Services had placed the 15 year old into the care of the Randolph family pending the outcome of the investigation.
http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/tennessee/080209_Three_Dead_in_Dyersburg_Shooting

Public officials call for major changes in family law

2009-08-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

Public officials call for major changes in family law

REALLY DID THEY JUST FIGURE THIS OUT? AND HOW LONG TILL THE OTHER 49 STATES REALIZE IT?

Center for Judicial Excellence leads the way for Family Court Reform in California

OAKLAND — One by one, parents around the Bay Area are beginning to step forward to share heart-wrenching stories of the injustices they experienced in California's family court system.

These parents have joined with thousands of others statewide to reform the family courts and protect child victims of violence and sexual abuse from judicial decisions the parents say place children in harm's way.

"I'm living proof this is happening today," said Susan, a California Family Court litigant and mother whose daughter was placed with her accused molester. "The family courts crisis is a plague and it's destroying peoples' lives."

About 58,000 children per year in the U.S. are ordered into unsupervised contact with physically or sexually abusive parents following divorce, according to experts at the Leadership Council on Child Abuse & Interpersonal Violence.

Many people concerned about the systemic problems with family court attended a daylong public forum Thursday at the Alameda County Conference Center.

Some compared the family court crisis to the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals because of what they call an institutional level of collusion of harm against children. Event organizers said they hoped the forum would inspire families who have survived traumatic family court ordeals to come forward in order to shed more light on the breakdown of the family court system.

Participants, including family court litigants, child advocates and the general public, gathered to discuss the family court crisis and take a closer look at problems and solutions. The forum's session featured public testimony by speakers and a panel of legal experts and attorneys who gave free general legal advice about how to best protect themselves in the family court.

The event was organized by the Center for Judicial Excellence in partnership with UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law, California Protective Parents Association, Justice for Children, California Safe Child Coalition, Child Abuse Solutions and the Incest Survivors Speakers' Bureau.

Their collective goal was to push to improve the judiciary's public accountability and strengthen and maintain the integrity of the courts.

In addition, the center produced a documentary, Family Court Crisis: Our Children at Risk, and screened a 12-minute clip at the forum.

The American Judges Association found that approximately 70 percent of batterers succeed in convincing authorities that the victims of their abuse are unfit or undeserving of sole custody.

Alameda County Supervisor Gail Steele and actress Nancy Lee Grahn from ABC's "General Hospital" are family court reform advocates and also participated in the panel discussions.

Steele announced a new initiative to help better protect vulnerable children in family court. It includes her support of the passage of new proposed legislation by Assemblyman Jim Beall, D-San Jose, and Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, to reform family court. Her initiative also calls for the passage of Sen. Mark Leno's request for a legislative audit of Marin and Sacramento Family Courts. She also is pushing for ombudsman positions to be created in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, where parents can go for help and to plead their case.

"The system has to change in California and across the country," Steele said.

Grahn did not talk in detail about her $1 million family court battle but said her experience was "maddening and perplexing."

She was upset to learn that some laws were unfair and that some court procedures were abusive and treated children like hostages or assets that need to be divided up.

After a three-year ordeal, Grahn finally gained custody of her 11-year-old daughter. She now works with community organizations and travels the state to meet with lawmakers and inform them about the about pitfalls of the family law system.

"I met people who were in similar or worse situations," Grahn said. "There are thousands of women who were protective parents and their children were taken away and handed over to their abusers."

For more information visit, www.centerforjudicialexcellence.org

© 2009 Bay Area News

Previous Article|Next Article Back to News on Custody & Abuse

Explore:
Alameda County, Center for Judicial Excellence, Family Court Crisis, Kathleen Russell

Permalink:
http://stopfamilyviolence.org/pages/431

Mother arrested again for alleged abuse of daughter

2009-07-30T12:50:00.001-04:00

Girl, 7, in a coma may not survive.
By Jason Bergreen

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated: 07/28/2009 10:47:12 AM MDT

Emperatriz Meza-Reyna A 7-year-old girl is in a coma with critical head injuries just months after state foster care workers returned her to her mother, who was convicted last year of child abuse.

Now the 21-year-old mother is once again in jail on suspicion of beating the child, who may not survive.

Emperatriz Meza-Reyna took her daughter to Pioneer Valley Hospital on July 22 with a head injury, bruises on her body and a bite mark, West Valley City police Capt. Tom McLachlan said.

During the examination, the girl went into cardiac arrest and was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center. There, she underwent brain surgery and remains in a coma in critical condition.

Meza-Reyna told police her daughter fell down stairs, but doctors say her injuries are not consistent with a fall.

McLachlan said the girl's injuries appear to be caused by being hit with a hard object or slammed into a floor, wall or another hard surface.

Meza-Reyna has two other children who don't appear to have been abused, police said. But the mother was arrested in January 2008 on suspicion of child abuse involving the same child. She pleaded guilty to two charges of third-degree felony child abuse.

According to those charges, Meza-Reyna admitted to strangling the child and covering her mouth and nose multiple times, beating her with a belt and a cable cord and writing on the child with a black marker, injuring the child's face. A doctor in that case said the

child had bruises and marks all over her body. The doctor also said there was evidence of a head injury, including soft-tissue swelling and bleeding on the brain.

Meza-Reyna was sentenced in January; all prison time was suspended. She served 17 days in jail and was given 36 months of probation.

McLachlan said the Division of Child and Family Services had custody of the girl for a period of time before she was returned to her mother several months ago.

Meza-Reyna has an immigration detainer against her, which means she will be deported once the case ends and she is released to federal authorities.

DCFS spokeswoman Liz Sollis would not comment on the case. She said DCFS in general usually works with other health, school and law enforcement professionals to determine the best interest of the child involved in an abusive situation. The parent, if they have been convicted of child abuse, is usually required to complete court imposed programs and classes before a judge determines when the child may return home.

McLachlan said Meza-Reyna and her children recently lived with another adult, but their relationship is unknown. He said the man is not a suspect in the new case.

Meza-Reyna was booked into the Salt Lake County jail Thursday on suspicion of child abuse. She is being held on $50,000 bail.

Glossary of Legal Terms

2009-07-22T02:54:00.001-04:00

Glossary of Legal Terms

A

acquit - To find a defendant not guilty in a criminal trial.

adjudication - A judgment or decree.

affidavit - A written or printed declaration or statement under oath.

affirm - The ruling of an appellate court that the judgment of a lower court is correct and should stand.

appeal - Review of a case by a higher court.

appellant - Party appealing a decision or judgment to a higher court.

appellee - The party against whom an appeal is filed.

arbitration - The hearing and settlement of a dispute between opposing parties by a third party whose decision the parties have agreed to accept.

arraignment - A court hearing in a criminal case where a defendant is advised of the charges and asked to plead guilty or not guilty. Most arraignments in Tennessee are held in General Sessions Court.

B

bail bond - An agreement by a third party to pay a certain sum of money if the defendant fails to appear in court.

bench trial - Trial held before judge sitting without a jury; jury waived trial.

bench warrant - Process issued by the court or “from the bench” for the attachment or arrest of a person.

binding over - The act by which a court or magistrate requires a person to enter into a recognizance or furnish bail to appear for trial, to keep the peace, to attend as a witness, etc. Also describes act of lower court in transferring case to higher court or to grand jury after a finding of probable cause to believe that defendant committed crime.

brief - A legal document, prepared by an attorney, which presents the law and facts supporting his or her client.

C

caseload - The number of cases a judge handles.

cause of action - A legal claim.

certiorari - A procedure for removing a case from a lower court to a higher court for review.

change of venue - Moving a case from one court, or location, to another.

civil law - All law that is not criminal law.

class - There are five classifications of felonies and three classifications of misdemeanors. With the exception of murder in the first degree, all felonies in the Revised Criminal Code, in the old Title 39 and in titles other than Title 39 are classified. Each felony has an A, B, C, D, or E classification. “A” is the most serious and “E” is the least serious. Each misdemeanor has either an A, B, or C classification with “A” being most serious and “C” being least serious. Murder in the first degree carries three possible penalties: life (with the possibility of parole), life without parole, and death.

code - A collection of laws promulgated by legislative authority.

common law - A system of jurisprudence based on precedent rather than statutory laws.

commutation - Change of punishment from a greater to a lesser degree or ending a sentence that has been partially served.

corpus delicti - The body or material substance upon which crime has been committed; e.g., the corpse of a murdered person or the charred remains of a burned house.

D

de novo - “Anew.” A trial de novo is a completely new trial.

declaratory judgment - A judgment declaring the rights of the parties on a question of law.

decree - Decision or order of the court. A final decree completes the suit; an interlocutory decree is provisional or preliminary.

default judgment - Under Rules of Civil Procedure, when a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead (i.e., answer) or otherwise defend, he is in default and a judgment by default may be entered either by the clerk or the court.

defendant - A person charged with a crime or a person against whom a civil action is brought.

deposition - Sworn testimony taken outside the courtroom according to the rules of the court.

discovery - A pretrial proceeding where a party to an action may be informed of the facts known by other parties or witnesses.

docket - Book containing entries of all proceedings in a court.

double jeopardy - Prohibition against more than one prosecution for the same crime.

due process - Constitutional guarantee that an accused person receives a fair and impartial trial.

E

en banc - “On the bench.” All judges of a court sitting together to hear a case.

et al. - Abbreviation of the Latin "et alter", meaning: “and others.”

ex parte - A proceeding brought for the benefit of one party only without notice to or challenge by an adverse party.

F

felony - A serious criminal offense for which the minimum sentence is one year.

G

grand jury - A panel of citizens sworn to inquire into crime and if appropriate bring accusations, or indictments, against the suspects.

guardian ad litem - A person appointed by a court to manage the interests of a minor or incompetent person whose property is involved in litigation.

H

habeas corpus - “Latin phrase meaing: You have the body.” A writ of habeas corpus requires that a person be brought before a judge. It is usually used to direct an official to produce a prisoner so the court may determine if liberty has been denied without due process.

I

indictment - Written accusation of a grand jury charging a crime.

injunction - Court orders prohibiting specific actions from being carried out.

interrogatories - Written questions which must be answered under oath.

J

judgment - Final determination by a court.

judgment document - Document that explains the sentence an offender receives from a trial court.

jurisprudence - The science of law.

L

limited jurisdiction - Courts limited in the types of criminal and civil cases they may hear.

litigant - Person or group engaged in a lawsuit.

M

misdemeanor - Criminal offense that is less than a felony and punishable by less than a year in jail.

mitigating circumstances - Do not justify or excuse an offense, but may be considered as reasons for reducing the degree of blame.

motion - Oral or written request before, during or after a trial on which a court issues a ruling or order.

moot - Unsettled or undecided.

N

negligence - The absence of ordinary care.

nolo contendere - Latin phrase meaning “I will not contest it”; a plea in a criminal case which has a similar legal effect as pleading guilty. A defendant may plead nolo contendere only with the consent of the court.

O

opinion, per curiam - Phrase used to distinguish an opinion of the whole court from an opinion written by only one judge.

P

parole - The conditional and revocable release of an inmate by the Board of Paroles to parole supervision.

peremptory challenge - Procedure for rejecting prospective jurors without a reason. Each side is permitted a limited number of peremptory challenges.

power of attorney - Document authorizing another to act as one’s agent or attorney in fact (not an attorney at law).

probable cause - Reasonable belief that a crime has been committed; the basis for all lawful searches.

probate - The legal process of establishing the validity of a will and settling an estate.

probation - A sentence of confinement which is suspended upon a term of probation supervision. It may include community service or restitution or both. Probation must automatically be considered if the defendant is eligible.

pro bono - Legal services provided without attorney fees.

pro se - Legal representation of oneself

pro tem - “Temporary.”

R

recess - A short interval during which court suspends business, but without adjourning.

remand - To send back.

S

sentence, concurrent - Two or more sentences which run at the same time.

sentence, consecutive - Two or more sentences which run one after another.

sentence, determinate - A sentence that states exactly the time to be served or money to be paid.

sequester a jury - To place members of a jury into 24 hour a day seclusion until a verdict is reached.

settlement conference - A meeting between parties of a lawsuit, their attorneys and a judge to attempt a resolution of the dispute without a trial.

statute - A law created by the Legislature.

stay - Halting a judicial proceeding by order of the court.

subpoena - A written legal notice requiring a person to appear in court and give testimony or produce documentary evidence.

subpoena duces tecum - “Under penalty you shall take it with you.” A process by which the court commands a witness to produce specific documents or records in a trial.

T

tort - An injury or wrong committed with or without force to the person or property of another giving rise to a claim for damages.

V

venue - The specific county, city or geographical area in which a court has jurisdiction.

voir dire - (pronounced “vwar-deer”) - “To speak the truth.” The process of preliminary examination of prospective jurors regarding their qualifications.

W

writ - A written court order directing a person to perform or refrain from performing a specific act.

writ of mandamus - An order issued by a court of superior jurisdiction commanding performance of a particular act by an inferior court or public official.

Cocke County DCS “Bad to the Bone”

2009-07-14T09:37:00.001-04:00

Have you ever called a government agency for help only to be chuckled at and made fun of? Then chances are you have never had to contact the Cocke County Department of Children Services (DCS) located on Heritage Street in Newport, Tennessee.

Such was the case on Monday, July 6, when Renée Lynn, Editor-in-Chief of “The Knoxville Journal,” needed to discuss a dire situation with Kim Ramsey, a case worker at the Cocke County DCS. Mrs. Lynn tried numerous times to reach Ms. Ramsey or anyone in the department to no avail.

Finally, Mrs. Lynn got in touch with Ms. Ramsey to converse about a very serious issue concerning information relevant to two foster children under their jurisdiction. Apparently the information was ignored.

When asked very pertinent questions about the care of these children, Ms. Ramsey began laughing over the phone along with other employees. They just kept on laughing. Ms. Ramsey made no effort to correct her rude behavior with an apology. Mrs. Lynn then informed Ms. Ramsey that this was not a laughing matter, but was a grave set of circumstances. Again Mrs. Lynn was met with snickering.

It just so happened that Mrs. Lynn’s telephone was on speaker phone and at least one other person witnessed the outrageous behavior of Ms. Ramsey.

Mrs. Lynn commented, “It is a sad day when upstanding citizens are being subjected to such disrespect from government employees.”

This is not the first complaint lodged against the Cocke County DCS. This reporter knows of at least one other incident in which the Cocke County office has overstepped their bounds.

Ms. Vicki Hodge, supervisor of the Cocke County DCS did return a call to Mrs. Lynn on Tuesday, July 7, but did not apologize for the offensive conduct of her employees.

If you have any information about the Cocke County DCS you would like to share, please call Myra Wheeler at The Knoxville Journal at (865) 546-5353.

http://www.theknoxvillejournal.com/inside/pages/news/Cocke-County-DCS.html

I am sure they would be interested in all the stories in TN, give it a shot.

Man turns himself in after weekend double shooting

2009-07-14T09:11:00.000-04:00
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A man is now behind bars in Georgia after a weekend double shooting in Knoxville.

Marvin Matthews is accused of shooting his estranged wife and her boyfriend, this coming after, what court documents show, was years of domestic violence issues.

Tiffanie Matthews has been seeking the court's help for a couple of years now, when it comes to her husband.

But many of the instances of violence she has alleged in court started the same way this weekend's shooting did: he broke in by kicking in the door to her home. Only this time, instead of hitting her repeatedly, Knox County deputies say he started shooting.

Around 6 o'clock Sunday morning, 34-year-old Tiffanie Matthews and her 33-year-old boyfriend, Sherman Hawkins, were sleeping in their home on Cathedral Lane.

Sheriff's deputies say her estranged husband, 32-year-old Marvin Matthews kicked in the front door, then the bedroom door.

"He came in shooting both of them, she was shot once, Mr. Hawkins was shot twice," says Martha Dooley, representative for the Knox Co. Sheriff's Department.

And three children were in the home at the time of the shooting, leaving a 14-year-old to call 911 for help.

The shooting came as a shock to neighbor, Rick Verran.

Ricky says, "She's a good neighbor and things like that, she's good with the kids and everything else, boyfriend she's got now is good with her."

But he has also heard many fights between Tiffanie and Marvin in the past.

According to court documents, Tiffanie filed two orders of protection against her husband of 9 years, dating back to January 2008.

Martha Dooley says, "Since his wife filed an order of protection, he has been back to that home several times, and is charged with vandalism. He has kicked in the doors both times and he has slit her tires on her car."

In circuit court documents, Tiffanie names off instances of Marvin hitting her multiple times, and their now 6-year-old child having to call 911 in the past.

Marvin spent a little longer than one day on the run, meanwhile Knox County Sheriff's deputies were urging his friends to encourage him to turn himself in.

Martha says, "He was on the run and in Georgia, and he went ahead and turned himself into the police station there."

Marvin Matthews will soon be transferred back to Knoxville.

Judge Bill Swann ordered Monday, that Matthews not be given a bond, because he was under an Order of Protection, and has previously posted bond for breaking an order of protection.

He faces two charges of attempted first degree murder, and one count of especially aggravated burglary.

While an Order of Protection may be seen as simply a piece of paper, Judge Swann says it is a very important step in facing domestic violence.

Swann says, "Sitting and waiting for things to get better, while hopeful, is not practical, it is far better to be proactive in our own lives for assistance."

An Order of Protection specifies that a person cannot hurt you, and often times it says they have to stay away from you.

Anyone can get one, and it can apply to a spouse, family member, someone you've dated, and other situations.

To get an order of protection in Knox County, call the Family Justice Center at 865/215-6800. They also operate a helpline at 865/521-6336.

http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/50671902.html

Thought For The Day

2009-06-16T01:01:00.000-04:00
What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters

compared to what lives within us.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

So, they are tasing granny's now?

2009-06-10T10:16:00.000-04:00

For my NY Advocates- NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

2009-06-08T03:01:00.001-04:00

A post from one of my yahoo group fighters:

On Monday, June 8, a
hearing is being held regarding the failure of oversight of judges and
lawyers in NY State. Many of us have been harmed by judicial and lawyer
corruption in all the States. This is message to all who want to
support this and/or attend and particularly if you're a NY resident and
have filed a complaint.

For more info: You can contact me at
Tskeene@westelcom. com or contact Will Galison at wgalison@aol. com ,
if you're in the NYC area and desirous of transportation.

You can examine the extensive record of judicial and lawyer corruption acquired through
exposecorruptcourts.blogspot.com

Videotaping will be allowed. If you have a denied complaint and cannot
attend ,please submit it to Senator Sampson and also to either will or
I. Announcement below: Terry

Senate Standing Committee On The Judiciary Notice of Public Hearing

Monday, June 8th, 2009, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

SUBJECT: The Appellate Division First Department Departmental
Disciplinary Committee, the grievance committees of the various
Judicial Districts and the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct

PURPOSE: This hearing will review the mission, procedures and level of
public satisfaction with the Appellate Division First Department
Departmental Disciplinary Committee, the grievance committees of the
various Judicial Districts as well as the New York State Commission on
Judicial Conduct

Albany

Monday June 8, 2009

10 A.M.

Meeting Room 6 Empire State Plaza

Albany, NY 12247

Powered by ScribeFire.

Lawyer Who Failed to Follow Billing Rules Forfeits Fees

2009-06-07T01:07:00.001-04:00

Vesselin Mitev
New York Law Journal
May 05, 2009

A Long Island, N.Y., matrimonial attorney who did not bill her client at the requisite 60-day intervals cannot collect claimed legal fees, a New York state judge has ruled.

Attorney Charlene K. Verkowitz, appearing pro se, argued that she had substantially complied with rules requiring matrimonial lawyers to provide written, itemized bills at least every 60 days.

But New York Supreme Court Justice William R. LaMarca of Nassau County disagreed, noting in Verkowitz v. Torres, 17206/06, that since Verkowitz had not "follow[ed] the rules," she had to forfeit her fees.

Verkowitz, of New Hyde Park, N.Y., was hired by Ernest Torres on Nov. 7, 2002, to represent him in a Suffolk County Family Court support hearing. That day, Torres signed a retainer and paid a $3,500 fee, according to the decision.

The next month, Torres retained Verkowitz to represent him in a separate matrimonial action. Unused portions of his previous retainer were credited to the matrimonial bill, and Torres paid an additional $3,500.

On July 14, 2003, Torres relieved Verkowitz as counsel, prompting the subsequent suit over $7,915 in counsel fees plus costs, according to the decision.

During the eight-month period from initial retainer to her discharge, Verkowitz sent four bills to Torres: on Dec. 6, 2002; Feb. 3, 2003; June 17, 2003; and Nov. 5, 2003.

The Feb. 3, 2003, bill showed a credit balance of $2,309 but more than 120 days had elapsed between the February bill and the June 17 bill. Her lawsuit only covered fees mentioned in the first three bills.

At trial in December 2008, Verkowitz testified that between the second and third billing cycle she "continually advised" Torres that his retainer had been exhausted. Torres was "often" in her office during this time reviewing his case, according to the decision.

Torres denied he was told about the bills and claimed he told Verkowitz about his "dire financial straits," which were also the subject of a motion to modify a separation agreement with his wife, Justice LaMarca wrote.

According to Michael R. Walker, Torres' attorney, his client had limited funds, as evidenced by the fact he charged the first two retainers on his girlfriend's credit card.

Under 22 NYCRR 1400.3, a retainer agreement sets forth the "[f]requency of itemized billing, which shall be at least every 60 days; the client may not be charged for time spent in discussion of the bills received."

Here, LaMarca wrote, "there is no doubt that Verkowitz did not abide by the rules, in that she did not provide written itemized bills at least every 60 days."

The failure to comply with the rules "promulgated to address abuses in the practice of matrimonial law and to protect the public will result in preclusion from recovering such legal fees," the judge continued, quoting Julien v. Machson, 245 AD2d 122.

Verkowitz cited, among other cases, Mulcahy v. Mulcahy, 285 AD2d 587, and Sherman v. Sherman, 34 AD3d 670, which set forth that attorney fees may be recovered if there is "substantial compliance" with 22 NYCRR 1400.3.

However, LaMarca distinguished those cases as addressing the recovery of legal fees from an adversary spouse, observing "[t]hat is not this case."

"In all cases cited by Verkowitz, the courts recited the law ... that attorneys must follow the rules or forfeit legal fees," the judge held. "There is no doubt that the third bill ... was not sent within 60 days as mandated."

Although he held that Verkowitz did not substantially comply with the rules, LaMarca did not order her to return the $2,309 credit indicated on the second bill, citing Mulcahy for the proposition that "a court need not direct the return of a retainer fee already paid for properly-earned services."

In an interview, Walker said his client's case was factually different than that of a Brooklyn accountant who earlier this year was ordered to pay his attorney fees despite a 17-month billing delay.

In Edelstein v. Greisman, 18848/08, attorney Saul Edelstein had won at the arbitration level before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Mark I. Partnow upheld his award.

Here, Verkowitz had lost in arbitration, Walker said.

LaMarca properly interpreted the statute, said Walker, of Gallagher, Walker, Bianco & Plastaras in Mineola, N.Y. "We have strict rules precisely for this reason."

In an interview, Verkowitz said she "respectfully disagree[d] with the judge's interpretation of substantial compliance."

She said the initial arbitration award was "100 percent" in her favor but had been overturned by a "technicality," prompting a rehearing which she lost.

LaMarca's decision did not mention the arbitration.

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/careercenter/CareerCenterArticleFriendly.jsp?id=1202430444547

Florida SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 28 ATTORNEYS

2009-05-28T13:20:00.001-04:00

SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 28 ATTORNEYS
2009-05-06 00:58:00

The Florida
Bar, the state's guardian for the integrity of the legal profession, announces
that the Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 28 attorneys,
disbarring 10, suspending 16 and placing two on probation. Some attorneys
received more than one form of discipline. Two attorneys were reprimanded. Two
were ordered to pay restitution.

As an official agency of the Florida Supreme
Court, The Florida Bar and its Department of Lawyer Regulation are charged with
administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of
professional conduct for the 86,000-plus lawyers admitted to practice law in
Florida. Since Aug. 1, 2007, case files
have been posted to attorneys'
individual Florida Bar profiles and may be reviewed at and/or downloaded from
The Florida Bar's Web site, www.floridabar.org.

The following lawyers
are disciplined (Please note that court orders are not final until time expires
to file a rehearing motion and, if filed, determined. The filing of such a
motion does not alter the effective date of the discipline):

James Harutun
Batmasian, 215 N. Federal Highway, Suite 1, Boca Raton, suspended for three
years, effective retroactive to Aug. 30, 2008, following a March 5 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1974) In April 2008, Batmasian pleaded guilty in federal
court, to one count of willful failure to collect or pay over tax, a felony. He
was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised
release and penalties of $30,000. (Case No. SC08-1445)

Daniel Antonio Benito,
2423 SW 147th Ave., No. 362, Miami, suspended until further order, following a
March 3 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1997) According to an emergency
suspension order, Benito appeared to be causing great public harm by
misappropriating and/or diverting client funds entrusted to him. In one
instance, a client sent $80,000 to Benito to be held in trust for the purpose of
funding a marital settlement agreement. When the settlement did not materialize,
the client demanded the return of the funds and Benito refused, claiming he was
entitled to them for attorney's fees. (Case No. SC09-372)

Roger Besu, 233
Palm Ave., Miami Beach, suspended until further order, following a Feb. 5 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 1974) According to an emergency suspension order,
Besu appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating and/or
diverting client funds entrusted to him. In October 2008, a client filed a
complaint with The Florida Bar, alleging that Besu was holding more than $3.5
million of his money in escrow and he had not been able to reach Besu by
telephone or at his office. Besu did not respond to a Bar subpoena. An audit
revealed nearly $2 million was missing from a trust account that he
controlled.(Case No. SC09-187)

A. Clark Cone, 8607 Wendy Lane E., West
Palm Beach, suspended until further order, following a March 19 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1981) According to an emergency suspension order, Cone
appeared to be causing great public harm. The Florida Bar's investigation found
that in several instances, Cone misappropriated client funds. After settling a
personal injury case, Cone asked a client to endorse her $38,940.38 settlement
check. Cone then deposited the money into his trust account and converted it to
his use. (Case No. SC09-474)

Katherine Denise Crase, 2804 W. Aquilla St.,
Tampa, suspended effective 30 days from a Feb. 25 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1991) In July 2008, Crase was found guilty of seven felony counts of
conspiracy and mail fraud. She was sentenced to 30 months in prison. (Case No.
SC09-339)

Joseph R. De Lucca, 5089 Greenwich Preserve Ct., Boynton Beach,
suspended until further order, following a March 11 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1971) According to an emergency suspension order, De Lucca appeared to
be causing great public harm by misappropriating client trust funds or property.
A Florida Bar audit found that De Lucca had a negative balance of $35,572.91 in
his trust account, after using client funds for his own purposes. (Case No.
SC09-430)

Susan Lynn Eberle, 4437 Koger St., Orlando, suspended for 91 days,
effective 30 days from a March 24 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1985)
Eberle is being held in contempt of court for noncompliance with Florida Supreme
Court orders. In March 2006, Eberle was suspended for 30 days and placed on
probation for two years. She violated the terms of that probation and in August
2007, Eberle was given an additional two years probation to run consecutively
after the first. (Case No. SC08-2405)

Nadege Elliott, P.O. Box 121711, Fort
Lauderdale, disbarred, retroactive to Dec. 15, 2008, following a Jan. 30 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 1998) In three separate cases, Elliott provided
incompetent representation, charged excessive fees and mishandled his trust
accounts. (Case No. SC07-2)

Delaila Jannette Estefano, 9200 S. Dadeland
Blvd., Suite 204, Miami, suspended until further order, following a March 9
court order. (Admitted to practice: 1999) According to an emergency suspension
order, Estefano appeared to be causing great public harm. A criminal case
pending in the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court alleges that Estefano, working
with two others, engaged in a systematic, ongoing course of conduct with intent
to defraud and/or obtain property from a mortgage lender by false pretenses. An
investigation by the Miami-Dade Police Department revealed the use of Estafano's
law firm escrow account in the alleged fraudulent activities. (Case No.
SC09-384)

Stephen Jay Goldstein, 13899 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 307, North Miami
Beach, disbarred effective April 10, following a March 11 court order. (Admitted
to practice: 1972) Goldstein wrote checks from his trust and operating accounts
in the amounts of $22,290.00, $527.83, $50,000 and $43,725. All were returned
for insufficient funds. (Case No. SC09-329)

Christina Gomez, 4440 S.W. Archer
Road, Apt. No. 726, Gainesville, disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 8,
2008, following an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1992) Gomez
participated in at least three fraudulent financial transactions, one of which
resulted in her receiving approximately $835,000. Because she failed to provide
all the required subpoenaed records, The Florida Bar has so far been unable to
conduct a complete audit to determine the magnitude of fraud and
misappropriation that may have occurred. (Case No. SC08-2139)

Rafael
Gonzalez, 6309 Wild Orchid Drive, Lithia, suspended for three years, effective
30 days from an Oct. 2, 2008 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1991) Gonzalez
was initially suspended for 14 days in September 2007 and violated the terms of
the court's order by practicing law. (Case Nos. SC07-2314 and SC08-434)

Webb
Greenfelder, P.O. Box 353, San Antonio, suspended for 91 days, effective
immediately, following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1998)
Greenfelder was arrested when police investigated a domestic violence incident
at his home. Charges were later dropped. Greenfelder has been ineligible to
practice law since October 2005 as a result of not paying his Florida Bar dues.
He is also delinquent with his continuing legal education requirements. (Case
No. SC08-1497)

Gloretta Hankins Hall, 221 S.E. Osceola St., Stuart, to
receive a public reprimand, following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1991) In May 2006, Hall was the supervising lawyer on a malpractice
case and her associate was assigned to manage the case. Hall failed to monitor
the associate's activities in the case and hired her sister to act as an expert
witness, because the associate had not hired a nurse expert. At a later date,
Hall learned that her sister provided testimony at the deposition that was not
truthful regarding their familial relationship. (Case No. SC08-1730)

Joseph
I. Harrison, 800 S. Douglas Road, Suite 450, Coral Gables, disbarred for five
years, effective 30 days from a March 20 court order. (Admitted to practice:
2006) Harrison was further ordered to pay restitution totaling $90,800 to two
clients. In at least three separate cases, Harrison charged excessive fees but
provided no significant legal services. He deposited funds in his operating
account instead of a trust account as required and knowingly made false
statements to a third party. (Case Nos. SC08-76, SC08-575 and SC08-804)

David
Robert Heil, 2324 Lee Road, Winter Park, suspended for 10 days, effective 30
days from an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1984) In December,
2002, Heil was hired to represent a client in a personal injury case. In October
2007, without giving prior notice to the client, Heil filed a notice of
voluntary dismissal and subsequently, the statute of limitations ran out on the
case. (Case No. SC08-1748)

George Nicholas Konstantakis, 44 Cocoanut Row,
Suite M210, Palm Beach, disbarred for five years, effective 30 days from a March
5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1987) He was further ordered to pay
restitution of $26,680 to a client's living revocable trust. In 2004,
Konstantakis agreed to represent a client in civil proceedings. Thereafter, he
failed to attend the hearings, show up for trial and communicate with the
client. The client was unaware of the final judgment until she was served with
an order of contempt in December 2006 for failure to provide financial
information. (Case Nos. SC08-917 and SC08-1550)

Mark Lawrence, 801 Brickell
Ave., Suite 900, Miami, disbarred effective 30 days from the date of a March 5
court order. (Admitted to practice: 1988) Lawrence admitted to failing to
preserve and apply trust funds as required by Florida Bar rules; issuing checks
from his trust account to pay his child support obligations; and engaging in
dishonest conduct. (Case No. SC09-310)

Jeffrey Merrill Leukel, P.O. Box 8004,
Sanford, suspended for 90 days, effective retroactive to Oct. 20, 2008,
following an April 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1986) Leukel was
further placed on probation for three years and ordered to enter into a contract
with Florida Lawyer's Assistance. In September 2008, Leukel pleaded no contest
to driving while his license was permanently revoked, a third-degree felony.
(Case No. SC08-1957)

Jerona Charmaine Maiyo, 6996 Piazza Grande Ave., Suite
309, Orlando, disbarred effective immediately, following a March 26 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 2001) Maiyo failed to perform her duties as a lawyer. She
accepted retainer fees from clients and did not perform work. In some instances,
Maiyo abandoned the cases without giving notice. She did not inform The Florida
Bar of her correct address, so at one point, all correspondence mailed to her
was returned as being unclaimed and not forwardable. In December 2007, Maiyo was
suspended for failure to complete her continuing legal education requirements.
(Case No. SC08-1747)

Andrew William Menyhart, P.O. Box 541739, Merritt
Island, suspended until further order, following a March 19 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1992) According to an emergency suspension order,
Menyhart appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds from
his trust account. In one matter, a $19,000 check written on Menyhart's trust
account was returned due to insufficient funds. On another occasion, Menyhart
wrote a check to a client as partial payment of a settlement. That check was
also returned. An audit by The Florida Bar found that Menyhart altered bank
statements to show that he was still holding funds for a $100,000 estate, when
in fact, he was not. (Case No. SC09-475)

Gary Michael Murphree, 142 Beacon
Blvd., #A, Miami, suspended for one year, effective retroactive to Sept. 15,
2008, following an April 2 court order and placed on probation for three years,
effective immediately. (Admitted to practice: 1994) In May 2008, Murphree was
found guilty in circuit court of possessing cocaine and drug paraphernalia with
intent to use. Murphree failed to notify The Florida Bar, as required, of the
charges. (Case No. SC08-1534)

Gregory F. Pillon, 730 NW 40th Ave., Miami,
disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 12, 2007, following an April 2 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 2004) In May 2007, Pillon pleaded no contest to
obtaining a mortgage by false representation, a felony. The plea agreement
provided that Pillon would surrender his license to practice law. (Case No.
SC07-1681)

David Philip Ryan, III, 250 Catalonia Ave., Suite 804, Coral
Gables, suspended until further order, following a March 3 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1997) According to an emergency suspension order, Ryan
appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating and/or diverting
funds entrusted to him. A Florida Bar audit revealed that Ryan used client funds
to satisfy personal matters. (Case No. SC09-338)

Richard Brian Simring, 5400
LaGorce Drive, Miami Beach, disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 9, 2008,
following an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1991) In July 2008,
Simring pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money
laundering, a felony. (Case No. SC08-1672)

Fred Rowan Tokarsky, 11156 Cypress
Trail Drive, Orlando, suspended for three years, effective immediately,
following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1997) In August 2008,
Tokarsky was found guilty in federal court of three felonies: devising a scheme
to defraud through mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and
theft of government funds. (Case No. SC08-2100)

Kendrick Gerard Whittle, 3646
N.W. 98th St., Miami, disbarred effective retroactive to Oct. 23, 2007,
following a Feb. 24 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1999) In several
instances, Whittle misappropriated client funds. He used approximately
$297,781.73 to pay clients as well as personal bills including rent, utilities
and credit cards. (Case No. SC07-2394)

James Dean Wood, 870 115th Ave.,
Treasure Island, to receive a public reprimand, following a March 5 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1994) Wood received $25,000 to handle a case. He
initially traveled from Pinellas County to Miami to meet with the client. After
that, there is no evidence that Wood researched the case or communicated with
the client. (Case No. SC08-1767)

Powered by ScribeFire.

Child Advocacy Actions That Work

2009-05-25T05:24:00.001-04:00

A number of ways that you can step up and take action to
improve the lives of children.

    Some take just a few seconds and some a
bit longer.

Below are different ways you can advocate on behalf of
children.

Email Your Elected Officials

Sending an email to your elected officials is a quick and easy way
to let them know that you demand that they commit to helping children
as a condition of your vote.

Send an email now to your Members of Congress asking them to secure the future by investing in every child.

Call Your Elected Officials

You can all your Members of Congress by calling (202) 224-3121 and
asking to be connected to the office of your Representative or your
Senators.

(Don't know who they are? Find out here.).
Once you are connected to the right office, ask to speak to the staff
member who children's issues.

Clearly have in mind a specific request
of your representative.

Send a Letter to Your Elected Officials

Writing a personal letter is a great way to communicate with your
elected officials. Personalized letters are well-received by elected
officials, as they know it takes time to write a letter with a
well-thought out message. Learn more about how to write a compelling letter to your elected officials.

Meet with Your Elected Officials

A personal meeting with your elected official can be an
effective way to persuade that official to support your cause. It is an
opportunity for you or your group to sit down face-to-face with a key
decision-maker to convey your thoughts on an issue. Learn more about how you can prepare for a meeting, what to do at the meeting and how to follow-up.

Write an Op-Ed

An op-ed is an opinion piece written by a regular reader,
representative of a group or cause, or an elected official who is not
an employee of the newspaper. Op-eds are a great advocacy tool and a
way to raise awareness about children's issues—if placed, they
are read by decision makers, opinion leaders and fellow citizens. Learn more about op-eds and how to write one.

http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-advocacy-resources-center/child-advocacy-actions/?print=t

Powered by ScribeFire.

Florida SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 28 ATTORNEYS

2009-05-21T19:25:00.001-04:00

SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 28 ATTORNEYS
2009-05-06 00:58:00

The Florida
Bar, the state's guardian for the integrity of the legal profession, announces
that the Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 28 attorneys,
disbarring 10, suspending 16 and placing two on probation. Some attorneys
received more than one form of discipline. Two attorneys were reprimanded. Two
were ordered to pay restitution.

As an official agency of the Florida Supreme
Court, The Florida Bar and its Department of Lawyer Regulation are charged with
administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of
professional conduct for the 86,000-plus lawyers admitted to practice law in
Florida. Since Aug. 1, 2007, case files
have been posted to attorneys'
individual Florida Bar profiles and may be reviewed at and/or downloaded from
The Florida Bar's Web site, www.floridabar.org.

The following lawyers
are disciplined (Please note that court orders are not final until time expires
to file a rehearing motion and, if filed, determined. The filing of such a
motion does not alter the effective date of the discipline):

James Harutun
Batmasian, 215 N. Federal Highway, Suite 1, Boca Raton, suspended for three
years, effective retroactive to Aug. 30, 2008, following a March 5 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1974) In April 2008, Batmasian pleaded guilty in federal
court, to one count of willful failure to collect or pay over tax, a felony. He
was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised
release and penalties of $30,000. (Case No. SC08-1445)

Daniel Antonio Benito,
2423 SW 147th Ave., No. 362, Miami, suspended until further order, following a
March 3 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1997) According to an emergency
suspension order, Benito appeared to be causing great public harm by
misappropriating and/or diverting client funds entrusted to him. In one
instance, a client sent $80,000 to Benito to be held in trust for the purpose of
funding a marital settlement agreement. When the settlement did not materialize,
the client demanded the return of the funds and Benito refused, claiming he was
entitled to them for attorney's fees. (Case No. SC09-372)

Roger Besu, 233
Palm Ave., Miami Beach, suspended until further order, following a Feb. 5 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 1974) According to an emergency suspension order,
Besu appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating and/or
diverting client funds entrusted to him. In October 2008, a client filed a
complaint with The Florida Bar, alleging that Besu was holding more than $3.5
million of his money in escrow and he had not been able to reach Besu by
telephone or at his office. Besu did not respond to a Bar subpoena. An audit
revealed nearly $2 million was missing from a trust account that he
controlled.(Case No. SC09-187)

A. Clark Cone, 8607 Wendy Lane E., West
Palm Beach, suspended until further order, following a March 19 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1981) According to an emergency suspension order, Cone
appeared to be causing great public harm. The Florida Bar's investigation found
that in several instances, Cone misappropriated client funds. After settling a
personal injury case, Cone asked a client to endorse her $38,940.38 settlement
check. Cone then deposited the money into his trust account and converted it to
his use. (Case No. SC09-474)

Katherine Denise Crase, 2804 W. Aquilla St.,
Tampa, suspended effective 30 days from a Feb. 25 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1991) In July 2008, Crase was found guilty of seven felony counts of
conspiracy and mail fraud. She was sentenced to 30 months in prison. (Case No.
SC09-339)

Joseph R. De Lucca, 5089 Greenwich Preserve Ct., Boynton Beach,
suspended until further order, following a March 11 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1971) According to an emergency suspension order, De Lucca appeared to
be causing great public harm by misappropriating client trust funds or property.
A Florida Bar audit found that De Lucca had a negative balance of $35,572.91 in
his trust account, after using client funds for his own purposes. (Case No.
SC09-430)

Susan Lynn Eberle, 4437 Koger St., Orlando, suspended for 91 days,
effective 30 days from a March 24 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1985)
Eberle is being held in contempt of court for noncompliance with Florida Supreme
Court orders. In March 2006, Eberle was suspended for 30 days and placed on
probation for two years. She violated the terms of that probation and in August
2007, Eberle was given an additional two years probation to run consecutively
after the first. (Case No. SC08-2405)

Nadege Elliott, P.O. Box 121711, Fort
Lauderdale, disbarred, retroactive to Dec. 15, 2008, following a Jan. 30 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 1998) In three separate cases, Elliott provided
incompetent representation, charged excessive fees and mishandled his trust
accounts. (Case No. SC07-2)

Delaila Jannette Estefano, 9200 S. Dadeland
Blvd., Suite 204, Miami, suspended until further order, following a March 9
court order. (Admitted to practice: 1999) According to an emergency suspension
order, Estefano appeared to be causing great public harm. A criminal case
pending in the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court alleges that Estefano, working
with two others, engaged in a systematic, ongoing course of conduct with intent
to defraud and/or obtain property from a mortgage lender by false pretenses. An
investigation by the Miami-Dade Police Department revealed the use of Estafano's
law firm escrow account in the alleged fraudulent activities. (Case No.
SC09-384)

Stephen Jay Goldstein, 13899 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 307, North Miami
Beach, disbarred effective April 10, following a March 11 court order. (Admitted
to practice: 1972) Goldstein wrote checks from his trust and operating accounts
in the amounts of $22,290.00, $527.83, $50,000 and $43,725. All were returned
for insufficient funds. (Case No. SC09-329)

Christina Gomez, 4440 S.W. Archer
Road, Apt. No. 726, Gainesville, disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 8,
2008, following an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1992) Gomez
participated in at least three fraudulent financial transactions, one of which
resulted in her receiving approximately $835,000. Because she failed to provide
all the required subpoenaed records, The Florida Bar has so far been unable to
conduct a complete audit to determine the magnitude of fraud and
misappropriation that may have occurred. (Case No. SC08-2139)

Rafael
Gonzalez, 6309 Wild Orchid Drive, Lithia, suspended for three years, effective
30 days from an Oct. 2, 2008 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1991) Gonzalez
was initially suspended for 14 days in September 2007 and violated the terms of
the court's order by practicing law. (Case Nos. SC07-2314 and SC08-434)

Webb
Greenfelder, P.O. Box 353, San Antonio, suspended for 91 days, effective
immediately, following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1998)
Greenfelder was arrested when police investigated a domestic violence incident
at his home. Charges were later dropped. Greenfelder has been ineligible to
practice law since October 2005 as a result of not paying his Florida Bar dues.
He is also delinquent with his continuing legal education requirements. (Case
No. SC08-1497)

Gloretta Hankins Hall, 221 S.E. Osceola St., Stuart, to
receive a public reprimand, following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to
practice: 1991) In May 2006, Hall was the supervising lawyer on a malpractice
case and her associate was assigned to manage the case. Hall failed to monitor
the associate's activities in the case and hired her sister to act as an expert
witness, because the associate had not hired a nurse expert. At a later date,
Hall learned that her sister provided testimony at the deposition that was not
truthful regarding their familial relationship. (Case No. SC08-1730)

Joseph
I. Harrison, 800 S. Douglas Road, Suite 450, Coral Gables, disbarred for five
years, effective 30 days from a March 20 court order. (Admitted to practice:
2006) Harrison was further ordered to pay restitution totaling $90,800 to two
clients. In at least three separate cases, Harrison charged excessive fees but
provided no significant legal services. He deposited funds in his operating
account instead of a trust account as required and knowingly made false
statements to a third party. (Case Nos. SC08-76, SC08-575 and SC08-804)

David
Robert Heil, 2324 Lee Road, Winter Park, suspended for 10 days, effective 30
days from an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1984) In December,
2002, Heil was hired to represent a client in a personal injury case. In October
2007, without giving prior notice to the client, Heil filed a notice of
voluntary dismissal and subsequently, the statute of limitations ran out on the
case. (Case No. SC08-1748)

George Nicholas Konstantakis, 44 Cocoanut Row,
Suite M210, Palm Beach, disbarred for five years, effective 30 days from a March
5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1987) He was further ordered to pay
restitution of $26,680 to a client's living revocable trust. In 2004,
Konstantakis agreed to represent a client in civil proceedings. Thereafter, he
failed to attend the hearings, show up for trial and communicate with the
client. The client was unaware of the final judgment until she was served with
an order of contempt in December 2006 for failure to provide financial
information. (Case Nos. SC08-917 and SC08-1550)

Mark Lawrence, 801 Brickell
Ave., Suite 900, Miami, disbarred effective 30 days from the date of a March 5
court order. (Admitted to practice: 1988) Lawrence admitted to failing to
preserve and apply trust funds as required by Florida Bar rules; issuing checks
from his trust account to pay his child support obligations; and engaging in
dishonest conduct. (Case No. SC09-310)

Jeffrey Merrill Leukel, P.O. Box 8004,
Sanford, suspended for 90 days, effective retroactive to Oct. 20, 2008,
following an April 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1986) Leukel was
further placed on probation for three years and ordered to enter into a contract
with Florida Lawyer's Assistance. In September 2008, Leukel pleaded no contest
to driving while his license was permanently revoked, a third-degree felony.
(Case No. SC08-1957)

Jerona Charmaine Maiyo, 6996 Piazza Grande Ave., Suite
309, Orlando, disbarred effective immediately, following a March 26 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 2001) Maiyo failed to perform her duties as a lawyer. She
accepted retainer fees from clients and did not perform work. In some instances,
Maiyo abandoned the cases without giving notice. She did not inform The Florida
Bar of her correct address, so at one point, all correspondence mailed to her
was returned as being unclaimed and not forwardable. In December 2007, Maiyo was
suspended for failure to complete her continuing legal education requirements.
(Case No. SC08-1747)

Andrew William Menyhart, P.O. Box 541739, Merritt
Island, suspended until further order, following a March 19 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1992) According to an emergency suspension order,
Menyhart appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds from
his trust account. In one matter, a $19,000 check written on Menyhart's trust
account was returned due to insufficient funds. On another occasion, Menyhart
wrote a check to a client as partial payment of a settlement. That check was
also returned. An audit by The Florida Bar found that Menyhart altered bank
statements to show that he was still holding funds for a $100,000 estate, when
in fact, he was not. (Case No. SC09-475)

Gary Michael Murphree, 142 Beacon
Blvd., #A, Miami, suspended for one year, effective retroactive to Sept. 15,
2008, following an April 2 court order and placed on probation for three years,
effective immediately. (Admitted to practice: 1994) In May 2008, Murphree was
found guilty in circuit court of possessing cocaine and drug paraphernalia with
intent to use. Murphree failed to notify The Florida Bar, as required, of the
charges. (Case No. SC08-1534)

Gregory F. Pillon, 730 NW 40th Ave., Miami,
disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 12, 2007, following an April 2 court
order. (Admitted to practice: 2004) In May 2007, Pillon pleaded no contest to
obtaining a mortgage by false representation, a felony. The plea agreement
provided that Pillon would surrender his license to practice law. (Case No.
SC07-1681)

David Philip Ryan, III, 250 Catalonia Ave., Suite 804, Coral
Gables, suspended until further order, following a March 3 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1997) According to an emergency suspension order, Ryan
appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating and/or diverting
funds entrusted to him. A Florida Bar audit revealed that Ryan used client funds
to satisfy personal matters. (Case No. SC09-338)

Richard Brian Simring, 5400
LaGorce Drive, Miami Beach, disbarred effective retroactive to Sept. 9, 2008,
following an April 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1991) In July 2008,
Simring pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money
laundering, a felony. (Case No. SC08-1672)

Fred Rowan Tokarsky, 11156 Cypress
Trail Drive, Orlando, suspended for three years, effective immediately,
following a March 5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1997) In August 2008,
Tokarsky was found guilty in federal court of three felonies: devising a scheme
to defraud through mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and
theft of government funds. (Case No. SC08-2100)

Kendrick Gerard Whittle, 3646
N.W. 98th St., Miami, disbarred effective retroactive to Oct. 23, 2007,
following a Feb. 24 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1999) In several
instances, Whittle misappropriated client funds. He used approximately
$297,781.73 to pay clients as well as personal bills including rent, utilities
and credit cards. (Case No. SC07-2394)

James Dean Wood, 870 115th Ave.,
Treasure Island, to receive a public reprimand, following a March 5 court order.
(Admitted to practice: 1994) Wood received $25,000 to handle a case. He
initially traveled from Pinellas County to Miami to meet with the client. After
that, there is no evidence that Wood researched the case or communicated with
the client. (Case No. SC08-1767)

Powered by ScribeFire.

Child Advocacy Actions That Work

2009-05-19T01:25:00.001-04:00

A number of ways that you can step up and take action to
improve the lives of children.

    Some take just a few seconds and some a
bit longer.

Below are different ways you can advocate on behalf of
children.

Email Your Elected Officials

Sending an email to your elected officials is a quick and easy way
to let them know that you demand that they commit to helping children
as a condition of your vote.

Send an email now to your Members of Congress asking them to secure the future by investing in every child.

Call Your Elected Officials

You can all your Members of Congress by calling (202) 224-3121 and
asking to be connected to the office of your Representative or your
Senators.

(Don't know who they are? Find out here.).
Once you are connected to the right office, ask to speak to the staff
member who children's issues.

Clearly have in mind a specific request
of your representative.

Send a Letter to Your Elected Officials

Writing a personal letter is a great way to communicate with your
elected officials. Personalized letters are well-received by elected
officials, as they know it takes time to write a letter with a
well-thought out message. Learn more about how to write a compelling letter to your elected officials.

Meet with Your Elected Officials

A personal meeting with your elected official can be an
effective way to persuade that official to support your cause. It is an
opportunity for you or your group to sit down face-to-face with a key
decision-maker to convey your thoughts on an issue. Learn more about how you can prepare for a meeting, what to do at the meeting and how to follow-up.

Write an Op-Ed

An op-ed is an opinion piece written by a regular reader,
representative of a group or cause, or an elected official who is not
an employee of the newspaper. Op-eds are a great advocacy tool and a
way to raise awareness about children's issues—if placed, they
are read by decision makers, opinion leaders and fellow citizens. Learn more about op-eds and how to write one.

http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-advocacy-resources-center/child-advocacy-actions/?print=t

Powered by ScribeFire.

Things Going on in Knoxville

2009-05-18T16:32:00.001-04:00

Festivals

Loudon County Women's Expo - Variety of booths and exhibits, 11
a.m.- 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, Lyric Theatre Courtyard, 320 Grove St.,
Loudon. Held in conjunction with Downtown Merchant's Open Houses,
Women's Club Plant Sale and Loudon Street Festival.

Smoky Mountain Quilt Show - Competition with over 145 quilts on
display, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. today, Pellissippi State Technical Community
College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road. Cost: adults, $4; children under age
12, free. Info: smokymtnquilters.com.

Marble City 10 Hour Film Festival - 8 a.m. Saturday June 6, Market
Square. Teams create a three-minute film in 10 Hours based on genre
drawn at random that morning. Films will be shown, 8 p.m. at Bijou
Theatre. Info: marblecityfilmfestival.com.

Secret City Festival - Tickets on sale for $12 through June 13 (then $15) for event beginning June 19. Info: 482-7821 or e-mail Nicky@OakRidgeVisitor.com.

"A Patriotic Tribute" - 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, Great Smoky
Mountains Heritage Center, Townsend. Cost: $3 or members and children
under age 6, free. Discount for military (with identification) and
their families, $1 per person. Info: 865-448-0044.

Music

Noonday Instrumental Recital - Mountain Laurel Celtic Players
including: Brenda Hamilton, Em Turner Chitty and Bill Stanley,
12:05-12:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, St. John's Cathedral, 413 W.
Cumberland Ave. Free. Lunch follows, $5. Info: 865-525-7347.

Oak Ridge Community Band - Memorial Day concert, 7 p.m. Monday, May
25, A.K. Bissell Park, behind Oak Ridge Civic Center, 1401 Oak Ridge
Turnpike. Free. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Info: 865-482-3568.

Dance

Tango - 4 to 6 p.m. today, YWCA, 420 W. Clinch Ave. Info: 865-406-3311 or knoxvilletango.org

Exhibits

Farragut Folklife Museum - "Barns, Yarns and Landmarks Exhibit" and
"Coward Mill Exhibit," through July 31, Farragut Town Hall, 11408
Municipal Center Drive. Info: 865 966-7057 or townoffarragut.org.

Art Guild at Fairfield Glade - "Stitch by Stitch: the Art of
Quilting," 1 p.m. today, through May 30, Plateau Creative Arts Center,
451 Lakeview Drive. Free. Info: 931-707-7249 or
artguildfairfieldglade.net.

Books

Jim O'Rear - Signing book "Tennessee Ghosts," 6 p.m. Saturday, June
6, Barnes and Noble, 8029 Kingston Pike. Info: 865-670-0773 or
JimORear.com.

Classes / Workshops

Beginner Scooter School - 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, Market
Square. Starts every 30 minutes. Must be 21 or older for riding
portion. Info: AlcoaGoodTimes.com.

Water gardens for smaller spaces - 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, Popes Garden Center, Maryville. Info: 865-982-9217.

Recreational tree climbing - Workshop, 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, May
30, Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, 2743 Wimpole Ave. Cost:
members, $20; guests, $30. Info: 865-540-8690 or knoxgarden.org.

Health events

Hope is Alive Parkinson's disease support group - 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, May 19, Cheyenne Conference Center, 944 Oak Ridge Turnpike,
Oak Ridge. Speaker: Neurologist Dr. P. Matthiessen, 'Back to Basics
with Parkinson's.' Info: Karen Sampsell, 865-482-4867.

Gyn/Ovarian Networker - 1:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, Wellness
Community of East Tennessee, 2230 Sutherland Ave. Info: 865-546-4661.

Ask the Doctor: 'Skin Cancer' - 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, Wellness
Community of East Tennessee, 2230 Sutherland Ave. Speaker: Dr. Robert
Page. Free. Info: 865-546-4661.

Birthing From Within class - Holistic childbirth preparation, 10
a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 23, Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center. Cost:
$150. Contact Barb Steppe, 865-466-2501.

Breastfeeding class - Lisa Ross Birth and Women's Center, 10
a.m.-noon Saturday, May 30. Cost: $20 for Ross clients, $30 for others.
Info: 865-246-1940.

Together! Healthy Knox focus groups - Voice concerns about public
health-related issues at 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, at Central High
School library, 5321 Jacksboro Pike; 3-4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21, L.T.
Ross Building, 2447 Western Ave.; 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, Carter
Branch Library, 9036 Asheville Highway. Info: www.healthyknox.org or Carlos Yunsan, 865-215-5549.

Misc.

"An Evening under the Stars" - Senior Prom, Thursday, May 21,
Trinity Hills Senior Living Community, 4611 Asheville Highway.
Limousine rides, 4 p.m; meal at 5. Residents' dates arrive at 6 for
dancing. Info: Stephanie Elswick, 865.329.3292, Ext 103.

"Run for the Wall" - Welcome the riders arrival, 9:45 a.m.
Wednesday, May 20, TA Truck Stop, exit 369, Interstate 40. Info:
myridetotheirwall.com or rftw.org or 865-300-7432.

Clubs

Friends of ORNL- Luncheon with lecture by Dr. David Erickson on
global climate modeling, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, UT Resource
Center, 1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge. Info: 865-257-1506.

America Association of University Women - Maryville branch, dinner
and Buffalo auction, 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, Proffitt Dining Room,
Maryville College Campus. Dinner cost: $12. Bring two items (only) for
auction.

Air Force Sergeants Association, chapter 479 and Auxiliary - Monthly
meeting, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 20, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard
Base, Armed Forces Club. Lunch available. Info: 865-986-7526 or e-mail AFSA479@gmail.com.

Altrusa International - Meeting 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18 (third
Mondays), Graystone Presbyterian Church, 139 Woodlawn Pike. Dinner at
6. Info: 865-986-6702.

Wine Society of East Tennessee - Blends from around the world, 6:30
p.m. Tuesday, May 26, original Copper Cellar. Cost: $50 or $55. RSVP:
865-675-8960 or e-mail reserve@ws4et.com.

Vikings of the Smokies - Syttende Mai Celebration picnic, 3 p.m.
today, Farragut Campbell Station Park. Bring dessert or side dish.
Info: tnvikings.org or e-mail info@tnvikings.org or Joleen@thedewalds.org.

National Active and Retired Federal Employees - -Lunch, 11 a.m.;
program by Paul Cochran of Providence Advisor Group at noon, Tuesday,
May 19, Mama Blues Restaurant, 9645 Kingston Pike. Info 865 933-0229.

Stephen Holston chapter, Sons of the American Revolution - TNSSAR
East District meeting, 11 a.m. Saturday, March 23, Rothchild Catering
and Conference Center, 8807 Kingston Pike. Info: 951-1606.

Historical Society of Loudon County - Meeting with speaker, Loudon
County Historian Joe Spence, 3 p.m. today, Loudon County Courthouse
Annex. Info: 865-986-8553.

Knoxville Symphony League - Spring luncheon and business meeting,
Wednesday, May 20, Cherokee Country Club. Executive board, 9:15 a.m.;
Board of directors, 9:45; social, 11 and luncheon, 11:45. Info:
673-3237.

AT&T Pioneers of America - Covered dish luncheon, 11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, May 19, Communications Workers of America Union Hall, 1415 Elm
St. Info: 865-689-8586.

Christian Business Men - CBMC executive luncheon with Jack Sofield,
11:45-1 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, Bearden Banquet Hall, 5806 Kingston
Pike. Cost: $12. RSVP by May 18: 865-693-3955.

Newcomers Club - Lunch and installation of officers, noon,
Wednesday, May 20, Bearden Banquet Hall, 5806 Kingston Pike. RSVP:
865-531-1935.

Reunions

Edgewood Elementary Reunion - For all former students and faculty,
4-8 p.m. Saturday, June 27, Michael Dunn Center, 629 Gallaher Road,
Kingston. Cost: $15 or $25 per couple. Info: edgewoodreunion.webs.com.
or 865-376-5215 or 865-882-3415. Mail payment by June 13 (include
maiden name): Larry Snow, Edgewood Reunion, P.O. Box 273, Kingston, TN
37763.

Oak Ridge High School Classes 1954 -1956 - Reunion barbecue (during
Secret City Festival week), 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, June 20,
Children's Museum Gym of Highland View School. Cost: $10. USO Variety
Show, Friday evening, June 19, beside Oak Ridge Civic Center.
"Survivor" performs, Saturday evening. Info: SecretCityFestival.com, or
865-425-3610 or e-mail mcmclm@aol.com. Mail: ORHS Reunion Committee, 1055 West Outer Drive, Oak Ridge, TN 27830.

Emory Elementary School Reunion - For alumni, teachers, families,
former residents and friends, 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, Big Emory
Baptist Church Fellowship Hall (Old Emory School), 1607 Webster Pike,
Harriman. Bring photos. Buy lunch from church youth. Info: 865-717-2818
or 865-882-0191.

West High School Class of 1994 - Picnic, noon, Saturday, June 20,
Everett Park, Maryville. Bring family and picnic. Facility reserved all
day (donations accepted for cost). RSVP by June 6: e-mail c7060m@yahoo.com or chattip@charter.net or 865-257-2980 or 865-257-5558.

Carter High School Class of 1989 - Reunion committee searching for classmates to prepare for 20th reunion. Info: e-mail Carterclassof89@aol.com.

Volunteers

CAC Office on Aging Volunteer Assisted Transportation - Seeking
charter volunteers to drive agency-owned hybrid vehicles to accompany
Seniors or persons with disabilities to appointments, etc. Training
provided. Info: 865-524-2786 or elizabeth.stone@knoxcac.org.

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding - Seeking volunteers to
help children and adults with disabilities during summer session of
therapeutic horseback riding. Training, 1:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday, May
30. Must be at least 13 years old. Junior volunteer training, for ages
10-12, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, June 2. Info: Melissa, 865-988-4711 or
rideatstar.org.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/may/17/announcements/

Powered by ScribeFire.

N.J. Court: No local residency restrictions

2009-05-15T07:43:00.000-04:00

Thursday, 14 May 2009

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that towns do not have the right
to make their own laws regarding where sex offenders can or cannot live.

According to the unanimous ruling, municipalities are not allowed to
ban sex offenders from "living within a designated distance of any
school, park, playground, public library, or daycare center…"
The judges said "Megan's Law already makes that call," reports the
Newark Star-Ledger.

The result? Over 100 municipalities could have to remove ordinances
that prevented offenders from residing near schools and daycare centers.

Link: Court decision

Dad accused of using dog shock collar on his kids

2009-05-06T21:35:00.001-04:00

6 hours ago

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A father was accused of using a dog shock collar on his four children. Salem Police Lt. Dave Okada said the 41-year-old man was jailed Tuesday on charges of criminal mistreatment. He said the father acknowledged putting the electronic dog collar on his four children and shocking all of them at least once.
According to Okada, the father didn't do it as a punishment. Rather, he thought it was funny.
The children, all younger than 10, are in the custody of their mother.
The case has been referred to state Department of Human Services.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jFrsizEcXh2u2BDkHCBZN4qOezagD980U5QG0

http://htxt.it/fUvU

2009-05-01T06:56:00.001-04:00
http://htxt.it/fUvU

What is The Alliance for a New Humanity?

2009-04-30T18:41:00.001-04:00

Former Knox Co. trustee to repay $3,000 of vacation buyout

2009-04-25T01:10:00.001-04:00

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- Former Knox County trustee Mike Lowe will pay back $3,089.92 of a $22,150 vacation buyout he received on leaving office last year, Knox County Law Director Bill Lockett says Friday.

The law director says he expects to receive the payment next week.

Lockett also says the remaining amount of the vacation buyout was legally accrued annual leave earned by Lowe from September 1, 2006 through when he left office in February 2008.

During that time, Lowe could earn vacation time as a trustee's office employee, Lockett says.

It includes the period after September 1, 2006 when Lowe was re-elected as trustee because the state Supreme Court ruled he was term-limited and not an actual elected official.

County Commissioner Mike Hammond asked Lockett to examine the buyout because as an elected official, Lowe wasn't entitled to accumulated leave.

Lowe served as trustee from 1994 until January 2007, when the state Supreme Court made its term limits ruling, removing him from office.

Then Lowe worked for appointed trustee Fred Sisk until February 2008 when he resigned to go into real estate development.

His attorney, Greg Isaacs, says Lowe agreed to the payback because he received it due to an "innocent computational error" made by the current trustee's office.

Lowe is also "publicly asking for an apology from the individuals that characterized the receipt of vacation buyout as illegal before he decides to commence legal action," Isaacs says.

This payback agreement is separate from the investigation of the trustee's office being done by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on alleged payroll padding.

http://www.wate.com/global/story.asp?s=10243757&ClientType=Printable

INDIANA POLICE CHIEF SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION

2009-04-17T11:40:00.000-04:00


Timothy M. Morrison, United States Attorney
Southern District of Indiana

CONTACT: MARY BIPPUS
(317) 229-2403
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ins/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

FORMER GARY, INDIANA POLICE CHIEF SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION

WASHINGTON—Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King of the Civil Rights Division announced today that Thomas Houston, former Chief of the Gary, Ind., Police Department, was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for violating the civil rights of a Gary resident in June 2007.
Houston was convicted in Sept. 2008 of assaulting the victim, identified in court documents as V.A., by striking and kicking him in the stomach while he was handcuffed, resulting in contusions to his face, head, chest and abdomen. Houston, a 42-year veteran of the department, had been chief for just seven days when he committed the assault. He resigned from the post shortly after being indicted in March 2008.
Evidence presented during the six-day trial revealed that Houston’s home was burglarized on June 1, 2007, and that he incorrectly believed that a neighbor was responsible for the burglary. Houston summoned on-duty officers to leave their posts and accompany him to the neighbor’s home. V.A., who was visiting a friend in the home, was handcuffed, dragged out of the home and assaulted by Houston. He was then jailed for four days before being released. No evidence was found linking the victim to the burglary, which remains unsolved.
“Police officers are given tremendous authority and responsibility so that they can protect and serve the public trust,” said Loretta King, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. “Those who abuse that authority face serious consequences. The Civil Rights Division is committed to prosecuting all cases of official misconduct and to bringing these individuals to justice.”

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Betsy Biffl and Erin Aslan from the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.

FBI Home Page

Indianapolis Press Releases
Indianapolis Home Page

does anybody Plurk?

2009-04-17T02:42:00.001-04:00
does anybody Plurk?

National Partnership for Women & Families:

2009-04-05T00:17:00.001-04:00

Guaranteeing Equal Rights

Promote a fair and independent judiciary with
judicial nominees who have a demonstrated
commitment to fundamental rights

Consult broadly during the judicial nomination
process and ensure Congress fully exercises its role
to advise and consent

Enact a comprehensive federal ban on sex
discrimination and adopt the international
Convention on Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women

Fully fund domestic violence programs and ensure
victims have needed supports

Strengthen protections against human trafficking

National Partnership for Women & Families:

Tennessee: Former child support services employee arrested

2009-04-03T21:53:00.000-04:00
NASHVILLE — A Nashville man is facing charges that he tried to sell 1,600 stolen names, Social Security numbers and bank account numbers.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents arrested 27-year-old Steven K. Gilmore on Wednesday after he sold the information to an undercover TBI agent for $2,800.
Gilmore had access to the information through his former employer, a private company that contracts with the state Department of Human Services to provide child support services.
A federal criminal complaint against Gilmore says the U.S. Secret Service and TBI are investigating Gilmore and that he has sold such information before.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryon Jones says Gilmore was released on bond Thursday after an initial court appearance at which he did not enter a plea. He is scheduled for a hearing April 10.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/apr/02/tennessee-former-child-support-services-employee-a/

Rihanna Reportedly The Victim In Chris Brown Case - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News

2009-02-09T13:59:00.001-05:00
Rihanna Reportedly The Victim In Chris Brown Case - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News

Posted using ShareThis

IS CHRIS BROWN A BATTERER?

2009-02-09T13:56:00.001-05:00

Made Popular: 3 hours 21 min ago -

Talk about your SOS! If this story is true, this is no joke. Noticeably absent from last night’s Grammy awards were singers Chris Brown and his girlfriend Rihanna. Both were scheduled to perform last night with Rihanna previously scheduled as the opening act. The singers pulled out of the awards show last night after Brown was arrested on allegations of violence.Evidently a 911 call was issued…

http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:tango501:7b46f84a99b16101fe4e9b190d4c9b5b;_ylt=AniEU1Vy.DoGsiWtZaEN7qTZn414

Powered by ScribeFire.

Food, personal items are sought for distribution to local homeless

2009-01-29T19:13:00.001-05:00

Published: Jan 23rd, 6:47 AM

The
Somerset County Department of Human Services is seeking donations to
distribute to the homeless when the county conducts its annual
“Point-in-Time” survey of homeless individuals and families in Somerset
County on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

The deadline for donations, including food, drinks and personal items, is Friday, Jan. 23.

Volunteers
will be sent out in groups of two to conduct the survey. They will
distribute packages of donated items to homeless individuals.

Areas
of focus will be Bound Brook, Bridgewater Township, Franklin Township,
Manville, North Plainfield, Raritan, Somerville and South Bound Brook.

Donations
also will be given to individuals and families who visit Project
Homeless Connect, at S.H.I.P. (Samaritan Himeless Interim Program), 87
East High St. Project Homeless Connect provides information and
referral services to the homeless.

“The more we know about the
homeless within Somerset County and the state, the better we will be
able to serve them and move toward reducing and ultimately ending
homelessness,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Rick Fontana, human
services liaison. “We greatly appreciate the time and effort of
volunteers who help us complete the ‘Point-in-Time’ survey and
residents who generously donate items to be distributed.”

Items Needed

Requested
food items include bottled water, juice boxes, and individually wrapped
snacks, such as granola bars, crackers, nuts and trail mix.

Personal
items include tooth brushes, toothpaste, travel-size soap and
deodorant. New gloves, hats, mittens, towels and blankets are being
accepted.

Donations may be dropped off at the Somerset County
Community Development Office, located on the second floor of the Human
Services Building at 27 Warren St., Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m.
to 4 p.m., through Jan. 23. County Offices will be closed Monday, Jan.
19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Survey

The
purpose of the survey is to count, describe and understand homeless
people who do not use shelters and are typically found on the streets,
in abandoned buildings or other places not meant for human habitation.

The
“Point-in-Time” survey is part of a statewide effort to obtain an
accurate snapshot of New Jersey’s homeless population in response to a
directive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD).

The baseline data will be used to analyze the causes of
homelessness and to design responses. Somerset County is required to
report the number of people who are homeless at particular intervals in
order to apply for HUD Continuum of Care funding. This funding is a
discretionary grant that provides housing and supportive services to
people with special needs.

For more information, contact Program
Specialist Tracey Rizk of the Somerset County Community Development
Office at (908) 541-5756 or rizk@co.somerset.nj.us.

http://www.recordernewspapers.com/articles/2009/01/29/echoes-sentinel/news/doc497915aec2529159417799.prt

Powered by ScribeFire.

Child Left In Freezing Car While Dad Visits Teen Girl

2008-12-29T20:34:00.001-05:00

GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- A 22-year-old Montana man
has been arrested after his 4-year-old daughter was left in a car for
hours in below-zero temperatures.Jeramey Sheeler, of Vaughn,
Mont., faces a charge of criminal endangerment. Great Falls Police Lt.
Jack Allen says Sheeler left his sleeping daughter in a Jeep parked on
the street early Saturday while he went inside a house to visit a
13-year-old girl.When the 4-year-old woke up, she got out of the
vehicle and starting going house-to-house, knocking on doors at 2 a.m.
Someone let her in and then called police. The temperature outside at
the time was about 14 degrees below zero, according to the Great Falls
Police Department.Police found Sheeler at the house next door.
The girl who lived there told police that she and Sheeler were in bed
together, but nothing sexual happened. Police believe Sheeler left his
daughter in the unheated car for about two hours.Police officers
said they also found a pipe with marijuana residue on the center
console of Sheeler's Jeep. Sheeler is charged with misdemeanor
possession of drug paraphernalia as a result.Officers say the
4-year-old girl is OK and was released to her mother. Sheeler was
ordered not to have contact with his daughter, if he makes the $30,000
bond.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/print/18343116/detail.html

Powered by ScribeFire.

Why Parents Who Batter Win Custody

2008-12-28T21:37:00.001-05:00

Stop Family Violence - get help, get informed, get involved

www.stopfamilyviolence.org/349
by Sarah Childress

Published on September 25, 2006 by Newsweek
Why Parents Who Batter Win Custody
by Sarah Childress

It took
six years for Genia Shockome to gather the courage to leave her
husband, Tim. He pushed her, kicked her and insulted her almost from
the moment they married in 1994, she says. She tried to start over with
their children when the family moved from Texas to Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
It didn't last long. Tim called her constantly at work and, after they
split up, pounded on her door and screamed obscenities, she alleged in
a complaint filed in 2001. Tim was charged with harassment. As part of
a plea deal, Tim agreed to a stay-away order—but denies ever abusing
her or the children. In custody hearings over the past six years, Tim
has insisted that he's been a good father, and argued that Genia's
allegations poisoned their children against him. The judge sided with
Tim. This summer he was granted full custody of the kids, now 11 and 9.
Genia was barred from contacting them.

Genia is
one of many parents nationwide who have lost custody due to a
controversial concept known as parental alienation. Under the theory,
children fear or reject one parent because they have been corrupted or
coached to lie by the other. Parental alienation is now the leading
defense for parents accused of abuse in custody cases, according to
domestic-violence advocates. And it's working. The few current studies
done on the subject consider only small samples. But according to one
2004 survey in Massachusetts by Harvard's Jay Silverman, 54 percent of
custody cases involving documented spousal abuse were decided in favor
of the alleged batterers. Parental alienation was used as an argument
in nearly every case.

This
year the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges denounced
the theory as "junk science," and at least four states have passed
legislation to curtail its use in custody cases involving allegations
of domestic violence. "It's really been a cancer in the family courts,"
says Richard Ducote, an attorney in Pittsburgh who has represented
abuse victims in custody cases for 22 years. "It's made it really
difficult for parents to protect their kids. If you ask for protection,
you're deemed a vindictive, alienating parent."

It may
seem hard to fathom how a judge could award custody to a parent accused
of abuse. But battered spouses often don't file criminal charges—so no
judicial finding is made against their mates—and family-court judges
typically aren't trained to referee the complexities of abusive
relationships. (Although men are sometimes battered by their wives,
women are the victims in the majority of abuse cases.) Judges often
throw out documented evidence of spousal abuse, arguing that it is
irrelevant in a custody case. And experts say that family-court judges
often look favorably on the alleged abuser because he seems more
willing to share custody than the accuser—who is hellbent on keeping
the father away from the child. According to a survey by Geraldine
Stahly, a psychology professor at California State University at San
Bernardino, attorneys will caution battered spouses against reporting
abuse in court so they don't lose their children. (Stahly and other
academics say the parental-alienation argument has more legitimacy in
custody disputes that don't involve charges of abuse.)

Parental-alienation
syndrome was first introduced by child psychiatrist Richard Gardner in
the 1980s. Fathers-rights groups picked up on the idea and began trying
it out in court. These groups condemn abusers. But Dan Hogan, executive
director of Fathers & Families, a nonprofit group that advocates
for joint custody, argues that all too often the accusers lie in order
to win custody of their kids.

There's
a small but growing movement to ban parental alienation in custody
cases, sparked by embattled parents bonding online. They've linked with
lawyers and advocates for battered spouses across the country. At least
four states, including California, have laws protecting parents who
make good-faith abuse allegations. Others may soon follow their lead.
Greg Jacob, an attorney who takes cases for abused parents pro bono, is
drafting legislation to shop to Virginia and Maryland next month.
Meanwhile, parents like Genia keep fighting. "It's so hard, having my
children lost," she says, her voice breaking. "This was my life—my
children."
http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org/ocean/host.php?folder=12&page=349&T=#

Copyright © 2006 Newsweek

Child Custody Trial Info

2008-09-20T11:04:00.000-04:00
http://www.jwi.org/site/c.okLWJ3MPKtH/b.3412219/k.C94A/Trial.htm

If you and your abuser cannot agree on custody and visitation arrangements for your child, the court can hold a hearing to determine, in accordance with your state’s laws, who should have physical and legal custody of your child and how, if at all, it should be divided.
Trials may require you, your abuser and other witnesses to testify and submit to questioning about your abilities as a parent; the process can be intense, combative, and physically and emotionally draining. You should get familiar with the laws and procedures; this knowledge is critical to maintaining your rights.

Learn tips for testifying in court.

While you can represent yourself at any stage of litigation, including settlement and trial, you should consult a family law attorney with domestic violence expertise before you decide to do so.

Appeals

After a judge issues a ruling on your custody or visitation case, you may be entitled to challenge the decision regarding one or more aspects of your case, as long as the grounds for your challenge meet the requirements of your state law. Before you consider filing an appeal, consult a family law attorney with domestic violence expertise as the appellate process can be very complex and expensive.

6000 kids skipping school

2008-09-20T02:40:00.001-04:00
Ad Blitz Has Stern Message for County's Many Truants

By Nelson Hernandez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 28, 2008; B02

The Prince George's County Board of Education is unleashing a barrage of television, radio and print advertising as part of a crackdown on one of the school system's most serious problems: the 6,000 students who are regularly skipping class.
The public relations campaign, which asks adults to call police if they see students out of class during school hours, takes aim at what school board member Rosalind Johnson called "a crisis in America." A sample video announcement, played at a news conference yesterday, begins with a clip from the class-cutting comedy movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and later shows the grim consequences: a young man put in handcuffs and led to the county jail. The announcement is expected to run on a school system cable TV channel.
In most cases, a truant apprehended by police would be taken to school, not to jail. From there, the student's parents would be contacted, Johnson (District 1) said. But she did not rule out harsher measures for repeat offenders.
The 130,000-student school system "is going to enforce the law, which is compulsory attendance," Johnson said in an interview, during which she placed responsibility for regular attendance with parents. "If we have to jail them, I want them jailed."
School board member Pat Fletcher (District 3) agreed: "If it gets to that point, it has to get to that point."
The aggressive rhetoric was meant to address an intractable problem in Prince George's. Maryland's second-largest school system has the second-highest truancy rate, after Baltimore, according to state data. In the 2006-07 school year, 4.17 percent of county students were habitually truant, a state report said. In some high schools, the figure exceeded 20 percent. The same report said 0.97 percent of Montgomery County students were habitually truant, and the highest rate at a Montgomery high school was 5 percent.
About 80 percent of Prince George's truants are in high school, according to a county report. But Johnson said about 300 truant students are in elementary school, a figure she found distressing.
"I was stunned," she said. "If you have an out-of-control child, that is not a legally accepted reason. You cannot turn your back on your parental responsibility."
Fletcher said she hoped to cut the number of truants in half this year, to about 3,000.
John White, the school system's spokesman, said the cost of the anti-truancy program would be nominal.
"I haven't seen a coordinated effort like this" to address truancy, White said. "It's not that people don't know the problem exists -- schools have worked with individual parents before -- but you can see that it's been kind of isolated and in some cases a piecemeal approach."

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Sign it, Save her, Share it

2008-09-08T00:50:00.001-04:00

9:56 PM http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/in-support-of-lisa-and-bella-smith-2
This petition is in support of returning Bella Smith, to her mother, Lisa Smith. Where she legally belongs. Children can not be stolen from their homes with out trials and proof of real harm.
Bella was removed from her home without probable cause or a warrant. There were no reports of harm against the mother. Bella was taken by a Knox County Juvenile Case Manager, Stacey Turpin. Ms. Turpin said she had a warrant and did not. She removed the child out of anger. Once the child was removed, she was given to an abusive, violent father, who had been out of Bella's life, by his choice for more than a year. The father has committed several violent acts against the mother and other women, this is all documented in police records. The Juvenile Court has failed to provide the child with a safe environment. She has not had proper, continued medical attention or insurance. The father has testified in 3 Courts, under oath, that he does not give the child medicines prescribed by her Doctor. Yet, the Juvenile Court refuses to acknowledge this medical neglect. The guardian ad litem, Joseph Della-Rodolfa, never met or attempted to meet with Bella & Lisa. Yet he met with the father several times, he recommended to the court, Bella stay with him, based on absolutely nothing. GAL's are to ensure what's in the child's best interest. Not there own or what is most convenient for them. He has failed to protect Bella also, both physically and medically.
There must be due process, fair and equal treatment, and protection of Constitutional Rights, in children's cases. No one has attempted to reunite Bella with her Mother.
It sends a negative message to society and battered women, when the State chooses to prosecute women for rightfully protecting their children.
This child has been to Dr. and ER more than 42 in a year and a half, her bruises, marks, and scratches have all been documented and photographed. The child her self has stated several times, her "daddy whipped her butt, with the switch". No one has done anything to protect this child, and they have allowed the father to make continuous accusations and harass Ms. Smith's family. There has not even been an attempt to re unite Bella with her Mother.
We ask you, Judge Swann, the State of TN, the prosecutor, Leland Price, who seeks to punish Ms. Smith, to look at the facts and the law, to see the fraud that has been committed and correct it. TN has had a long, negative history in The Children's Services area, we ask that you not allow Bella to become another statistic.
Do not continue with this case, allow Ms. Smith to regain the rightful custody of Bella, and return her home, where she can be safe and loved, and most important, where she wants to be. Little girls need their Mothers.
Regards,

Sign it, Save her, Share it

2008-09-08T00:45:00.001-04:00

9:56 PM - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/in-support-of-lisa-and-bella-smith-2
This petition is in support of returning Bella Smith, to her mother, Lisa Smith. Where she legally belongs. Children can not be stolen from their homes with out trials and proof of real harm.
Bella was removed from her home without probable cause or a warrant. There were no reports of harm against the mother. Bella was taken by a Knox County Juvenile Case Manager, Stacey Turpin. Ms. Turpin said she had a warrant and did not. She removed the child out of anger. Once the child was removed, she was given to an abusive, violent father, who had been out of Bella's life, by his choice for more than a year. The father has committed several violent acts against the mother and other women, this is all documented in police records. The Juvenile Court has failed to provide the child with a safe environment. She has not had proper, continued medical attention or insurance. The father has testified in 3 Courts, under oath, that he does not give the child medicines prescribed by her Doctor. Yet, the Juvenile Court refuses to acknowledge this medical neglect. The guardian ad litem, Joseph Della-Rodolfa, never met or attempted to meet with Bella & Lisa. Yet he met with the father several times, he recommended to the court, Bella stay with him, based on absolutely nothing. GAL's are to ensure what's in the child's best interest. Not there own or what is most convenient for them. He has failed to protect Bella also, both physically and medically.
There must be due process, fair and equal treatment, and protection of Constitutional Rights, in children's cases. No one has attempted to reunite Bella with her Mother.
It sends a negative message to society and battered women, when the State chooses to prosecute women for rightfully protecting their children.
This child has been to Dr. and ER more than 42 in a year and a half, her bruises, marks, and scratches have all been documented and photographed. The child her self has stated several times, her "daddy whipped her butt, with the switch". No one has done anything to protect this child, and they have allowed the father to make continuous accusations and harass Ms. Smith's family. There has not even been an attempt to re unite Bella with her Mother.
We ask you, Judge Swann, the State of TN, the prosecutor, Leland Price, who seeks to punish Ms. Smith, to look at the facts and the law, to see the fraud that has been committed and correct it. TN has had a long, negative history in The Children's Services area, we ask that you not allow Bella to become another statistic.
Do not continue with this case, allow Ms. Smith to regain the rightful custody of Bella, and return her home, where she can be safe and loved, and most important, where she wants to be. Little girls need their Mothers.
Regards,

today

2008-09-06T15:37:00.001-04:00

SAVING BELLA

2008-09-06T12:00:00.001-04:00

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/in-support-of-lisa-and-bella-smith-2
This petition is in support of returning Bella Smith, to her mother, Lisa Smith. Where she legally belongs.
Children can not be stolen from their homes with out trials and proof of real harm.
Bella was removed from her home without probable cause or a warrant. There were no reports of harm against the mother. Bella was taken by a Knox County Juvenile Case Manager, Stacey Turpin. Ms. Turpin said she had a warrant and did not. She removed the child out of anger. Once the child was removed, she was given to an abusive, violent father, who had been out of Bella's life, by his choice for more than a year. The father has committed several violent acts against the mother and other women, this is all documented in police records. The Juvenile Court has failed to provide the child with a safe environment. She has not had proper, continued medical attention or insurance. The father has testified in 3 Courts, under oath, that he does not give the child medicines prescribed by her Doctor. Yet, the Juvenile Court refuses to acknowledge this medical neglect. The guardian ad litem, Joseph Della-Rodolfa, never met or attempted to meet with Bella & Lisa. Yet he met with the father several times, he recommended to the court, Bella stay with him, based on absolutely nothing. GAL's are to ensure what's in the child's best interest. Not there own or what is most convenient for them. He has failed to protect Bella also, both physically and medically.
There must be due process, fair and equal treatment, and protection of Constitutional Rights, in children's cases. No one has attempted to reunite Bella with her Mother.
It sends a negative message to society and battered women, when the State chooses to prosecute women for rightfully protecting their children.
This child has been to Dr. and ER more than 42 in a year and a half, her bruises, marks, and scratches have all been documented and photographed. The child her self has stated several times, her "daddy whipped her butt, with the switch". No one has done anything to protect this child, and they have allowed the father to make continuous accusations and harass Ms. Smith's family.
We ask you, Judge Swann, the State of TN, the prosecutor, Leland Price, who seeks to punish Ms. Smith, to look at the facts and the law, to see the fraud that has been committed and correct it. TN has had a long, negative history in The Children's Services area, we ask that you not allow Bella to become another statistic.
Do not continue with this case, allow Ms. Smith to regain the rightful custody of Bella, and return her home, where she can be safe and loved, and most important, where she wants to be. Little girls need their Mothers.
Regards,

Helping to stop violence against women

2008-09-01T14:06:00.001-04:00

Thank you for clicking to help stop violence against
women! Violence is arguably the most egregious form of
inequality visited upon women and girls across the globe.
This year Amnesty International launched a two-year Stop
Violence Against Women Campaign. Amnesty will work in
local communities to help women at the grassroots level,
pressure governments to pass legal protections, and work
with the media to raise awareness about the issue.
But Amnesty needs your help to make this campaign succeed:
http://www.care2.com/go/z/noviolence
One out of every three women has been beaten, raped,
or abused in her lifetime. As women and men with the
ability to take action, we have a special opportunity -
and perhaps a responsibility - to be leaders in enacting
a new era in women's human rights. Please consider
donating today : http://www.care2.com/go/z/noviolence
Then, click to end violence against women today:
http://stopviolence.care2.com
Every click helps Amnesty International
generates 3 letters to put pressure on decision makers,
urging them to take actions to prevent rape, domestic
abuse, war and other violent crimes committed against
women and girls worldwide.

Legally Kidnapped: Judge briefly jails child welfare workers, volunteers in juvenile case

2008-08-30T16:24:00.000-04:00
Legally Kidnapped: Judge briefly jails child welfare workers, volunteers in juvenile case

StopStealingOurChildren: Vote for Bella, drawing attention to the cause

2008-08-30T16:10:00.000-04:00
StopStealingOurChildren: Vote for Bella, drawing attention to the cause

Vote for Bella, drawing attention to the cause

2008-08-30T16:09:00.001-04:00

here is a link to my local media, please vote for Bella. You dont have to register. http://knoxville.wate.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-423...
View Original Article
Blogged with the Flock Browser

Judge gives them a taste of what it's like, well done

2008-08-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

COURTS Find this article at: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/08/30/0830meurer.html?plckCurrentPage=2&sid=sitelife.statesman.com
Judge briefly jails child welfare workers, volunteers in juvenile case
Meurer says she wanted them to know what detention is like before recommending it for 14-year-old girl.
By Steven Kreytak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A group of advocates for childrenand a 14-year-old defendant's mother were ordered into Travis County juvenile court holding cells this week after state District Judge Jeanne Meurer grew frustrated with them during a hearing.
Meurer said she told the six people to spend 20 minutes in the cells after they recommended that the girl, who is accused of punching her mother, be held in detention while awaiting trial.
"I told them that before you make these things (a recommendation to the court on whether detention is warranted), you go spend time in a jail cell," Meurer said during an interview in her office.
The longtime juvenile court judge, who is not seeking re-election this year, is known as a passionate advocate for children who does not tolerate excuses. She said she wanted the group to get a taste of what it's like to be in detention, which she believes takes an emotional toll on youths and, at $166 per day, is costly. She called the jailing a "learning opportunity" akin to a "site visit" and said that if the people had objected, they would not have been forced into the cells.
But that is not how two state Child Protective Services employees who were jailed saw it, according to a CPS spokesman.
"The judge is the final arbiter of our cases, and when the judge tells you to do something, you do it," Chris Van Deusen said. "It was not a voluntary thing."
Meurer declined to give the names of those jailed. Van Deusen said the two CPS employees were caseworker Rushmi Karim and supervisor Wendy Sonnenberg. The state Department of Family and Protective Services, which oversees CPS, does not plan to pursue any complaints about the incident, but Karim and Sonnenberg may do so on their own, Van Deusen said.
"I don't know what they learned sitting in a cell for a few minutes," he said. "This is not something that we want to see happen again."
In addition to the CPS workers and the girl's mother, Meurer said the others put in the holding cells were a worker for the reintegration project of the Casey Family Foundation, a volunteer mentor to the girl and a volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Assistant Travis County District Attorney LaRu Woody, chief of the family justice division, which is prosecuting the case, declined to comment.
Meurer said the teenage defendant spent a year in foster care before being returned to live with her mother last month. On Monday, the girl punched her mother after her mother kicked the family dog, Meurer said. The mother called police, and the girl was arrested and spent Monday night at the Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center in South Austin.
At the Tuesday hearing at Gardner Betts, Meurer, as is her custom, asked those present to recommend whether the teen should remain detained. Some said the girl needed a psychiatric evaluation, was having a hard time getting one through a state program and should be detained until she could get one, Meurer said. Later, Meurer said, they explained that they wanted her detained because the mother did not want her at home.
"I was not happy with that," she said. "Detention is not a parenting tool; it's not a mental health tool."
Van Deusen said the recommendation was unclear because the girl's mother was not sure whether she would take her back into her home. "It's clearly better for this child in this situation to be at home," he said.
Meurer said those jailed were placed two people per cell in three holding cells. Their belongings were not taken, and the doors were not locked, she said.
When the six people got out, the group was unanimous: The girl should be allowed to live at home until the trial. Van Deusen said the shift occurred because the mother changed her mind.
"They came back in, and I discussed that this was not to punish," Meurer said, "this was not to do anything but a site visit.
"These were professional people that I care about, and I am very sorry they would take it in any way but a positive experience."
skreytak@statesman.com; 912-2946

15 Year old killed in high School Shooting

2008-08-21T22:29:00.001-04:00

Accused shooter charged with first-degree murder; psychological eval to be sought

By Don Jacobs (Contact), Matt Lakin (Contact)
Originally published 08:22 a.m., August 21, 2008
Updated 05:40 p.m., August 21, 2008

Central High School student Ryan McDonald, shown in this picture from the 2008 Centralite yearbook, died Thursday after being shot in the school cafeteria by another student, according to Knoxville police and a hospital spokesman.

Classes will resume Friday at Central High School, one day after a shooting that killed a junior and left a freshman charged with murder.

“I want to assure parents, despite this isolated incident, our schools are safe,” Superintendent Jim McIntyre said at a press conference with law enforcement this afternoon.

McIntyre said students need to be able to return to a structured routine after a crisis such as today’s shooting.

Police at the press conference said they still haven’t settled on a motive for this morning’s shooting in the Central cafeteria, which killed 15-year-old Ryan McDonald and left Jamar B. Siler, also 15, charged with first-degree murder and an unspecified probation violation.

Siler’s attorney, Knox County Public Defender Mark Stephens, said in a Juvenile Court hearing this afternoon that he needs time to conduct a psychological evaluation on the boy, who’s accused of shooting McDonald once, then leaving the school.

Judge Tim Irwin set a preliminary hearing for next Wednesday and a trial date for Sept. 17. He allowed Siler’s family to visit with him for 30 minutes at the juvenile detention center.

Prosecutors have 10 days to decide whether they’ll ask to transfer the case to adult Criminal Court.

“So far we’ve discussed only preliminary information,” Stephens said of his client. “In terms of what may have happened this morning, those conversations haven’t begun.”

Stephens said his office has represented the boy in the past, but he didn’t know the exact nature of the cases.

Both Siler and McDonald had faced charges as juveniles.

Siler had been charged twice with public intoxication, and McDonald was arrested in March on a charge of disorderly conduct.

Details of those arrests and the outcome of the cases were not available today.

The confrontation between the two students occurred about 8:11 a.m. before classes began at the school in Fountain City, according to Knoxville Police Department Deputy Chief William C. Roehl.

The students knew each other, according to Roehl, but he said he did not know what led to the shooting.

“They had contact with one another,” Roehl said.

It was not a random shooting, he said.

“It was an isolated incident,” Knox County Schools Superintendent James McIntyre said at a press conference.

Police said they were notified about 8:57 a.m. that the student had died. University of Tennessee Medical Center spokesman Jim Ragonese identified the victim as McDonald.

The first report of the shooting to E-911 came from a Knox County Sheriff’s Office deputy whose daughter is a student at the school, which has about 1,400 students.

Officers responded at 8:13 a.m., and the suspect was arrested by a sheriff’s deputy in the 200 block of Doughty Drive at 8:17 a.m., three blocks from the school, which is located 5321 Jacksboro Pike.

A small caliber, semiautomatic handgun was found on Siler, and an investigator said there were at least four rounds still in the magazine.

One shot was fired, according to Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk, and the alleged shooter just walked away.

Police flooded the area after the shooting and found Siler walking on Doughty Drive. He was taken into custody without incident.

Kevin Perry, pastor of Word of Life Ministries in the Burlington community, said he talked to a student who attends his church and was in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting.

“He saw them when they were arguing and pushing and shoving,” Perry said. “He didn’t see the guy shoot him. What he did see was the guy fall.

“He shot the guy in the chest and casually walked away as if nothing had happened.”

Student Devin Dial, a junior, said the shooting happened shortly after 8 a.m.

“I walked in and went straight to the Commons,” she said.

“I didn’t hear it, but I saw them go to the ground.

“I saw (the wounded boy) go to the ground and start shaking.”

She called her mother and spoke two words: “Mommy. Gun,” said her mother, Jennifer Mirtes, president of the Central High parent-teacher organization.

“I whipped around,” Mirtes said. “I started loading kids into my car, and I got them off campus as quickly as possible.”

She said she took about 12 students in her Monte Carlo to Litton’s restaurant, nearby on Essary Road.

Jennifer Sharp and her son, Central High School senior Jesse Sharp, 17, saw the suspect walking along the road before police converged on him.

“He was walking like he was cutting school or something,” Jennifer Sharp said. She said the suspect strolled along Stanton Road and onto Doughty Drive from her home at 200 Doughty Drive.

“He was looking around like he was looking for a teacher or something,” Jesse Sharp said.

Several Central High students gathered in the Sharps’ front yard, trying to reach fellow students via cell phone.

“These are like all our own kids; they’re like family,” Jennifer Sharp said.

A shaken Scott Sharp, Jennifer Sharp’s husband, restlessly walked his front yard, shaking his head in apparent dismay.

“I’ve always feared this,” Scott Sharp said. “You hear about this happening at other places, but… It’s scary.

“The world’s getting bad. But there’s nothing you can do.”

Central was locked immediately as well as all Knox County schools as a precautionary measure, according to the E-911 Center.

Initial reports were that the shooter took a gun from his backpack and shot the student.

Parents are to line up at Central Baptist Church of Fountain City, 5364 N. Broadway, according to a secretary at Central High.

Police then will direct parents, in order, from the church to the school to pick up their children.

Officials initially indicated students would be bused to the church. The current system aims to allow the school to monitor who is picking up whom, the secretary said.

Commissioner R. Larry Smith said he and other officials including Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and county Mayor Mike Ragsdale were attending a breakfast at Fire Station No. 1 downtown, where ground was being broken for a new firefighters museum, when a secretary whispered word of the shooting into Ragsdale’s ear.

“We all just got up and left the breakfast and immediately went out there,” Smith said.

Smith is a 1972 Central graduate and president of the Central High School Alumni Association.

“We’ve never had anything like this happen before,” Smith said. “I’m just in shock. I’m just in shock that this happened and my heart goes out to the individual.”

Among Central parents picking up their children this morning was the Rev. Chris Buice, pastor of Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, where two people were killed and six others shot when a gunman opened fire during a Sunday morning service July 27.

His daughter Sarah, 14, attends Central but was running late this morning.

Buice is at the Central Baptist handing out water.

“It’s our community. So many people reached out to us, now we want to reach out to them,” Buice said.

“It was a good day to be running late.”

Grief counselors are on the scene.

Continuing News Editor/Metro David Keim and Business Editor Bill Brewer contributed to this story.

More details as they develop online and in Friday’s News Sentinel.

Continuing News Editor/Metro David Keim, Business Editor Bill Brewer and metro reporter Marti Davis contributed to this story.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/21/shooting-reported-central-high-school/#comments

Do you think schools should spank?

2008-08-20T19:56:00.001-04:00

Human Rights Watch says hundreds of thousands of children, some as young as 3 years old, are receiving corporal punishment in U.S. schools.

The international organization and the American Civil Liberties Union released a report Wednesday criticizing the practice, which is legal in 21 states, says CNN.

Corporal punishment discourages learning, fails to deter future misbehavior and at times even provokes it, says report author Alice Farmer.

One case detailed by the two groups involves a 3-year-old boy enrolled in a pre-kindergarten program at a rural Texas school. The boy went home one day with bruises on his hips and stomach from a paddling he received for taking off his shoes during class and playing with an air conditioner.

U.S. Department of Education statistics indicate corporal punishment is disproportionately applied to African-American students. In 13 states African-American girls were paddled at twice the rate of their white counterparts.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International
Publication date: 20 August 2008
Source: UPI-1-20080820-10113400-bc-us-discipline.xml

http://politicom.moldova.org/stiri/eng/143947/